His Butler, In Time
by RenaeChan77
Summary: The sequel to His Butler, Instructing is here! Ciel's grown up, and he thinks life can't be any better. Everything seems perfect, until... Romance/Humor/Drama. Multiple pairings!
1. Chapter 1

_**Our lovely spin-off is finally here! I'm so excited for this. Get ready for plot twists, overused clichés, fourth wall references, and lemony goodness~! Oh, and if you are new here, this is a spin-off of His Butler, Instructing. I recommend you go check that out before reading this, so you can understand better. Anyways, enjoy my lovelies~!**_

Ciel closed his book wearily as he got up from the chair, following the crowd of students filing out of the lecture hall. Today had been noticeably boring. Maybe because it was so close to final exams, but everyone seemed a little tense. Of course, the blue-haired young man wasn't worried. He was exceptionally smart, and sure that he'd breeze through the exams. As he walked through the busy halls of K University, he acknowledged the greetings of passerby. He turned quickly when he heard a voice calling him.

"Ciel! There you are. How did the pre-test go?" Alois asked as he bounced up to him happily.

"I aced it." he answered.

"Really? Man, you're smart. I got a B- on mine." he said, disappointment in his voice.

"Well, at least you didn't fail." Ciel assured as they continued down the hall.

"Just think. A few more months, and final exams will be over. We'll be done with college, and out in the world to become famous!" Alois exclaimed excitedly.

"Who slipped crack in your coffee? Calm down." the young man reprimanded, exiting the large glass doors.

"You should be excited, too. You're turning 21 this year! You know what that means~! We're going to go out and party rock!" he sang as he did a terrible attempt at a cat daddy.

Ciel scoffed. "Not if you're going to dance like that." he said as they approached the school gates.

"Okay, well bye Ciel. I'll text you later!" Alois exclaimed as he walked away.

"Alright. Lay off the Monster, kid." he called.

The blonde-haired boy waved, then disappeared around a corner.

Ciel turned towards the slightly busy street, checking his watch.

As if on cue, a sleek lack convertible pulled up in front of him. He approached the car and climbed in, putting his bag in the back seat.

"You know, you were two minutes late." he teased.

The raven-haired driver smirked. "I'm so sorry. How can I make it up to you?" he asked.

Ciel leaned over and captured the man's lips in a passionate kiss, then pulled away. "Consider us even." he said.

Sebastian smiled and pulled into the busy street. "Not yet." he said with a wink.

"Is that a threat?" the young man quipped.

"Of course not." Sebastian said innocently. "It's a promise." he added, smirking evilly as he held his hand.

Ciel scoffed, ending their playful banter. "I got my test scores back today." he informed.

"How were they?" the man asked.

"I passed them all." he said proudly.

"I expected nothing less of you." Sebastian complimented.

"Yeah, yeah. No one likes a kiss-ass." he said wickedly.

"I'd rather kiss something else." the ex-butler retorted.

"Gah~! Pervert." Ciel accused.

Sebastian smiled as he remembered something. "I got a call from Funtom Publishing today. They said that they would like to meet with you to look at your work." he said.

Ciel's jaw dropped. "You're kidding right?" he asked in disbelief.

"I'm completely serious. They called me because they couldn't reach you on your cell phone." he stated.

"It was off because I was in school, but I can't believe this! Funtom Publishing wants to meet with me!" he exclaimed, nearly bouncing in his seat. Ciel loved to read, and had majored in Classic American Literature. He'd also taken up writing and journalism. In four years, he'd become a proficient writer. His stories were all works of art, his essays were thought-provoking, and his poetry could make someone laugh _and_ cry in one stanza. A week ago, he'd sent a portfolio of his work to a bunch of publishing companies. To hear that Funtom Publishing, the most popular and successful company in the _country, _wanted to meet with him was like a dream come true. He quickly pulled out his phone and updated his Spacebook status.

_I got a call from friggin' FUNTOM PUBLISHING! I'm going to be rich~! _

A few seconds later, his cellphone '_Beep'_ed, alerting him that someone had commented.

_Hell yeah! Good luck, man!_

~Alois Trancy

_My gentle robin has found it's nest. Alas, it shall sing joyfully! _

~ Vince Druitt

_Hehehe…. Good for you. If you ever happen to pass out from stress, my coffin offer still stands…._

~Undertaker

_I suppose a 'Congratulations' is in order._

~William T. Spears

Sebastian watched from the corner of his eye as Ciel looked through his digital messages with a smile. He could remember a time when the boy would frown frequently, keeping himself closed off from everyone else, never trusting anyone. He had changed a lot. He was much more accepting of other people, and he also smiled a bit more. In other ways, the young man was completely the same. He still had that not-exactly-arrogant-confidence, quick temper, and smart mouth. All of which Sebastian loved.

The sleek black car pulled into the driveway, beside a small midnight blue four-door. They stood out nicely in front of the pearl-white, flawless two-story house. Ciel looked up at it admiringly. When he had graduated from high school and got accepted into K University, Sebastian had bought a house closer to the school. Ciel had moved in as well. Even after four years of living contently with the man, he still liked to look at his beautiful home. He was happy that he finally had a place where he belonged.

~Line Break~

Ciel clicked _Save _and shut his laptop proudly. He had just finished yet another thesis, and still had time to read ahead for next week's exam. He looked across the room at Sebastian, who was sitting on the couch, watching TV uninterestedly. The blue-eyed young man stood and stretched, then walked lazily over and sat down beside his lover. Being only a few inches shorter, he easily leaned his head against the man's shoulder.

"Is there anything good on television?" he asked.

"No. Just a ridiculous movie called Angels and Demons. It's completely unrealistic." Sebastian critiqued knowingly.

Ciel chuckled, sure that the man knew everything about demons. He absentmindedly played with the buttons on the demon's crisp button-down white shirt.

Sebastian noted amusedly that the boy looked adorable. No, scratch that. The boy looked sexy and he knew it. The man looked over his single blue eye, pale cheeks and slightly exposed collarbone, and his red eyes widened in hunger.

Ciel tried to keep his expression calm, fully aware of the man's lustful gaze and the tightening of his pants. He enjoyed teasing the man, and licked his lips slowly.

Groaning inwardly, the raven-haired man knew that the boy was putting on a show, just to arouse him. He bit his lip as he tried to control himself. He refused to lose to Ciel.

The blue-haired boy snuck a glance at Sebastian. He seemed to be restaining himself. _'Not for long..' _he thought as he climbed into the man's lap. He turned to the face him, making sure to rub against his erect crotch.

Sebastian hissed softly. The boy was trying to make him lose his composure, and he was winning.

Ciel undid the white shirt, leaving a hot kiss on the man's chest with each button.

A low growl escaped the man's throat as he pulled the boy's lips against his own desperately. He nipped his lip softly, requesting permission. The young man obliged, a moan spilling out as he parted his lips. Sebastian swallowed each sound, entering the moist cavern and placing his hands on the boy's slender hips.

Ciel pulled back and caught his breath, his heart beating wildly.

"Can't keep your hands to yourself?" he whispered.

"Not when it comes to you. Besides, you seduced me." Sebastian accused.

"You haven't seen anything yet." Ciel promised as he rose slowly. He took the man's hand and pulled him up. He led him out of the room and up the steps, swinging his hips provocatively.

Sebastian smirked as they entered their bedroom, and he shut the door behind them.

~Line Break~

The mid-afternoon rays shone cheerily through the windows, illuminating the dark room. Ciel stirred under the covers, not wanting to get up. He was the only one in the room, for Sebastian had left for work many hours ago. He only had one class today, and it didn't start until three. Snuggling into the pillows, he tried to go back to sleep. That is, until a loud ringtone scared him awake.

_Fergalicous definition _

_Make them boys go loco_

_They want my treasures _

_So they get they pleasures_

_From my photo_

"Dammit." Ciel swore as he shuffled out of the bed, looking for his cell phone.

_You can see me_

_You can squeeze me_

_I ain't easy_

_I ain't sleazy_

_I got reasons _

_Why I tease 'em_

He finally found it in the pockets of his pants, which had been thrown onto the floor last night. Pressing _Answer_, he spoke grumpily.

"Alois! Do you know what time it is? Why are you calling me so early in the morning?" he asked.

"Morning? It's a quarter to one! Get out of bed. I'm coming over in half an hour." the blonde informed.

"Alright. Come in through the patio door." Ciel mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"Kay, see ya." Alois said cheerily, before hanging up.

Ciel stood up and flung his phone on the disheveled bed. He looked down at his nearly naked body, only wearing the man's white button up. Deciding to take a shower, he sighed and went into the bathroom. Twenty minutes later, the boy exited the bedroom, adorning a loose-fitting black v-neck and a pair of jeans, feeling somewhat refreshed. He was bustling around in the kitchen when a pair of pale knuckles rapped on the window of the patio door. "It's open." he called, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

Alois opened the door grandly and stepped inside. "Look who decided to roll out of bed." he said.

"Only because you forced me, you damn stalker." Ciel retorted.

Alois scoffed and sat down at the breakfast bar attached to the large kitchen. "Hey! I have a good reason this time!" he defended.

"Oh really?" the blue-haired student asked unbelievingly.

"Yup. Okay, so, you know that guy named Alexander in your journalism class?" the blonde inquired excitedly.

Ciel pondered it for a second, then agreed.

"We're going out tomorrow!" Alois exclaimed.

The young man nodded approvingly as he poured sugar into his drink.

"You want some coffee with that sugar?" the blonde asked playfully.

"Oh shut up." he said as he poured yet another spoonful of sugar into his cup. Even over the many years, Ciel's love of all things sugar and sweet hadn't faded one bit.

"Alright. You'll be fat soon." Alois cautioned with a snicker.

"Screw you." the young man smirked, sipping his coffee.

"Just give me a time and a place. You D.T.F?" the blonde quipped.

"Not with you, weirdo. Anyways, did you just come over to tell me about Alexander?" he asked.

"Nope. I was kinda bored, so I wanted to come over to mess with you and Sebastian. Where is that old man, anyways?" he inquired, looking around curiously.

"You know he's at work. Today's a school day." Ciel informed as he sat down opposite Alois.

"Oh yeah. I keep forgetting that he still works at our old high school. Ah, the good ol' days." he said reminiscently.

"That is, until you left for almost two years." Ciel remarked.

"I had no choice, so shut up. What happened while I was gone, anyways?"

"Same old, same old." he dismissed. "I'm hungry. Let's go get something to eat." he suggested, rising from his seat.

"Are you asking me out, Ciel?" Alois cooed.

"No, I'm kicking you out of my house. Let's go, Tranny." the blue-haired student called, making fun of his last name.

"Cieeeel~! You know I hate that." the blonde whined as he followed him out the door.

~Line Break~

The two college kids slid into a red booth at their favorite diner, taking in the sounds of gentle conversation, and the smell of freshly made french fries.

"Ah, I haven't been here in months. It always smells so yummy." Alois commented as he pet the vinyl leather comfortingly.

"Where's the waitress? We need menus." Ciel mumbled as he looked around.

Alois's eyes wandered to the entrance, narrowed, then widened in recognition.

"Oh my god. Ciel, get down!" he instructed hastily as he ducked.

"What?" the boy asked, clearly confused.

"Get down, you dumbass!" Alois hissed.

Ciel hurried laid down flat in the booth, invisible to anyone in the front of the diner.

"What the hell is going on?" he inquired with a scowl.

"I just saw _Claude_ walk in." Alois whispered.

Ciel's pale jaw dropped. Claude Faustus was, in his opinion, the douchiest person in the universe. The four-eyed, slightly spiky-haired young man made the cast of Jersey Shore look like a group of bible-toting, kindness-loving, sweet Mary-Sues. To sum it up, he was an asshole, and both of them knew it.

'_You've got to be freaking kidding me! What is _he_ doing here?' _the boy thought. It had been over an eternity since they had been in contact. Ciel assumed that they weren't on good terms, seeing as the golden-eyed boy had been expelled in the beginning of their sophomore year because of a cyberbullying and blackmailing incident.

"We've got to get out of here." Alois said, somewhat panicked. Back in high school, the two had gone out. The blonde later found out that his feelings weren't mutual, and…well, it hadn't turned out so great.

"Alright. Let me see…." Ciel looked around the diner, thinking fast. "I've got an idea. Sit up, here comes the waitress." he instructed as the both sat up in the booth.

A slightly older women with pretty chestnut hair approached the table. "Hello. I'm Paula and I'll be your waitress. Can I start you off with something to drink?" she asked kindly.

Ciel looked into her warm eyes and almost felt sorry for what he was about to do. Almost. "Actually, we wondering if you could help us out with something. You see our friend over there?" he pointed to Claude. "He's been trying to ask you out for a long time. Every time he tries to talk to you, he gets all nervous." Ciel continued.

"Yeah, and we were wondering if you could go talk to him?" Alois added, catching on quickly.

The young woman glanced at Claude and flushed slightly. "Okay.." she said reluctantly.

The pair watched as she turned on her heels and started towards the bespectacled man's table.

"Let's go!" Ciel said as they shot out of their seats and headed through the swinging kitchen doors.

Weaving through the bustling chefs and waiters, the boys moved swiftly amid cries of surprise and anger, some in different languages.

They finally fled through the back door, stopping in the back alley to catch their breath.

Ciel whipped out his phone and checked the time. "Dammit. My class starts in fifteen minutes. I'm screwed if I'm late again." he swore.

"You'd better hurry up." Alois advised.

"Will you be alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, yeah. Just go, or Professor Emerson will give your ass an F." the boy said with a chuckle.

Ciel laughed slightly and jogged to his car. He hurried into his seat and started the engine, not even bothering with his seat belt. He quickly drove home, (careful to stay just below the speed limit) ran inside, grabbed his books, and was on his way to the university.

~Line Break~

"So, just read chapters seventeen through twenty-four and review for tomorrow's test. Have a good day." the blonde man said nicely as he gathered his papers.

Ciel held in a yawn and stood up, slightly relieved that the lengthy class was over. He gathered his things and left the lecture hall, ignoring the uninteresting conversations around him as he walked out of the doors to his car. His eyebrows raised when he saw a familiar figure leaned against the driver's door.

"I believe this qualifies as stalking." he called coolly.

Sebastian smirked. "I apologize. Would you like me to leave?" he asked.

The blue-haired young man grabbed his hand. "Well, I didn't say _that_." he whispered as he reached up and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked slyly.

"Nothing much. I just wanted to go out for a little." he said off-handedly.

Ciel threw him the keys, which he caught with inhuman precision.

"Let's go."

_**Didya like it? Leave me something yummy on the review board. Next chapter in progress. Thank You For Reading!**_

_**~RenaeChan77**_


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own Kuroshitsuji/its characters, LMFAO, Mindless Self Indulgence, or any other proper nouns littered through this fanfic. Also, Alexander is one of robovacation's characters, so all rights go to her, blah blah blah.**

~His Butler, In Time~

Ciel shifted in his seat anxiously. The car ride seemed frustratingly interminable as he watched the building fly by in a blur.

"Where are we going?" he asked for the millionth time since they had gotten in the car.

Sebastian smiled. "You'll see when we get there, my love." he said patiently.

"I don't like surprises." he mumbled as he folded his arms and pouted childishly.

"I'm not falling for that." the raven-haired man sang knowingly.

Ciel sighed and turned back to the window, noting that his act had failed him once again.

Sebastian pressed a small button on the steering wheel, flipping through the radio stations. He stopped on some mainstream pop station.

_When I walk in the spot_

_This is what I see_

_Everybody stops and lookin' at me_

_I got passion in my pants_

_And I ain't afraid to show it (show it show it show it)_

_I'm sexy and I know it_

The man bobbed his head to the electronic music as he turned at an intersection.

Ciel looked at him with an expression of disbelief, but he couldn't help laughing a bit. The man looked utterly ridiculous.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked, trying to keep his face calm between fits of giggles.

"Enjoying the music. Well, if you can call this music." he added with a smirk. "Dance with me." he encouraged.

The blue-haired student blushed and scoffed. "Why would I do that?"

Sebastian grabbed the boys pale hand and waved their arms in the warm evening air.

"Hey! You're going to cause an accident, you idiot!" Ciel hissed.

The man ignored him, keeping on hand on the wheel and holding the boy's hand with the other. Despite his protests, Sebastian continued to unconventionally dance with Ciel, a small smile on his face.

After a bit of this, Ciel couldn't help it. There were hardly any times when the man broke his stoic composure, and it was even more rare for him to do something so idiotic. The young man sighed and moved to the music, swinging his arms rhythmically.

_Aah_

_Girl, look at that body_

_Aah_

_Girl, look at that body_

_Aah_

_Girl, look at that body_

_I-I work out!_

After earning a few amused stares from pedestrians, Ciel flushed pink and settled down in the smooth seat.

"That was stupid."

"No, it was cute." Sebastian contradicted as he laid a small kiss on the boy's red cheek.

Ciel turned back to the window, mumbling something along the lines of "You're an idiot."

Sebastian smirked and turned his attention to the road, and he wasn't surprised when a slightly smaller hand snaked over and interlaced with his.

Holding the man's cool hand tightly, Ciel exhaled in anticipation when they pulled into a parking lot. He looked around curiously, and could see the fading sun sitting upon the horizon over the softly rolling waves.

"A beach?" he asked.

Sebastian exited the car instead of answering, and moved to the other side to open the passenger's door.

"What are you, some kind of butler?" Ciel teased as he got out of the car.

"If necessary." the man replied smoothly.

Ciel scoffed at his charming lover, the gravel giving way to sand as they approached the beach.

Sebastian took the boy's hand, pulling him a little closer.

The young man caught the man's fiery scent while they walked along the tan grains of sand. "Hmm…are we just going on a random stroll, or do you have an agenda, _Mr. Michaelis_?" he mocked with a small smile.

The raven-haired chucked lightly. It had been almost four years since Ciel had called him that, and he was briefly reminded of their former escapades. "Just a little alone time; nothing out of the ordinary." he said calmly.

"_Suuuure_." the boy answered sarcastically.

Sebastian smirked as his wine-red eyes wandered to the sunset. "One of the few beautiful things left in this world." he stated.

"I think I've heard a song that reminds me sunsets. I'm pretty sure it was Mozart." Ciel pondered.

Sebastian smiled. "That incompetent man? If I hadn't contracted with him and wrote his pieces, he would probably have ended up in the alley behind a tavern." he ridiculed.

The blue-haired student rolled his eyes at the man as they came to a bench. He sat down, pulling the ex-butler beside him. The mahogany wood creaked as he leaned on the man's shoulder. The bench was facing the horizon, giving them a perfect view of the retreating sun.

Sebastian pulled a camera out of his pocket. "Here, go take a picture before it's gone." he said.

Ciel obliged and approached the shore, positioning the lens as the waves crashed softly a few feet away.

The teacher sighed as he ran his fingers over the small velvet box in the inside pocket of his jacket. Tonight was the night. He was going to do it. It seemed as if he could never fond the rights words. It was strange; usually the demon had no problems expressing his mind, or problems with _anything_ for that matter. But Ciel was the only person who could silence him with a single sentence, a single word. A single glance from those cerulean eyes could make his heart jump and his tongue tie in knots.

Ciel looked at the beautiful shoreline through the camera lens. Never in a million years had he imagined he would be doing something so… so lame. Going for a loving stroll on the beach? How many times had he laughed at people he saw doing that? Doing sappy, clichéd things were uncharacteristic for the boy. _'Hell, I even flinched when the author put this story in the Romance genre.' _he thought_. 'But I can't explain it. When Sebastian is involved, even the smallest things can become special. I don't even mind doing all of this stupid romantic stuff with him.' _he admitted to himself_. _The young man snapped a few photos and turned back to see a determined look on the teacher's face. "What are you up to?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow in amused suspicion as he sat back down on the bench.

"Hmm…well, I was thinking that-"

"I guess you cretin are everywhere." a voice drawled from behind him.

Ciel recognized the voice instantly and his playful smile dissipated into a disgusted frown. "Fuck." he mumbled acidly. "What the hell do you want Claude?" he spat, his voice dripping with malice.

The pair turned to the golden-eyed young man adorning a smug smile. "It's been so long, Ciel. How have you been?" he asked sarcastically.

"I'm not in the mood for this. What the hell do you want, you damn stalker?" he repeated.

"Says the boy hanging around a pedophile." Claude quipped.

Sebastian's fist clenched in his lap, but he kept his expression blank. In all honesty, he hated Claude with an intensity that humans could never comprehend. More than sane people hated Justin Bieber, more than Lindsey Lohan hated rehab. He hated Claude more than Ryuk loved apples. But he kept remained nonchalant, not giving the bastard the satisfaction.

"Whatever. Could you leave us alone? I'm pretty sure you just escaped from a mental institution." Ciel said, trying to end this malevolent conversation.

"It's funny that you should say that…." he hinted.

"What are you talking about?" Ciel snapped.

The young man's lips curled into a wanna-be-Sebastian smirk, enjoying that he knew something the other didn't. "Oh? You didn't know? I guess you and your little buddy aren't as close as you thought." he added.

"What?" he asked, even more confused.

"Ask Alois." he said as he turned away, completing his task.

Ciel bored into the boy's retreating back with spite-filled eyes. He settled back onto the bench, fuming silently. He tensed, then relaxed slightly when he felt the man pull him into his warm chest.

"Calm down." he whispered, noting that now was not the right time to put his plan into action.

The student exhaled, trying to dispel all of his built up anger. He breathed in a bit of the man's scent and felt better, linking an arm around him. "Can we go home?" he muttered into the man's shirt.

"Of course." the man answered as he took his hand. He pulled him up from the bench and they continued back to the car in silence.

A million thought raced through Ciel's as he walked. He didn't want to believe that jerk's words, but he couldn't help but wonder what he was talking about. Was Alois keeping something from him? Well, he couldn't blame him if he was. There were some things that people just didn't want to share. The thought still nagged at Ciel. _'It must be something small.' _he concluded. _'Alois would tell me if something was wrong, wouldn't he?' _he questioned. He held that thought as they approached the small blue vehicle.

Sebastian stopped walking when Ciel's car came into view. He turned the young man to face him and stared into his sapphire orbs with a look of worry.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Ciel forced a small smile. "I'm fine." he assured.

Sebastian was not fooled and pulled him into a tight embrace. "Don't listen to that idiot." he instructed knowingly. He knew the boy too well to just accept an 'I'm fine'. He could almost see the gears turning in his head as he thought over something with a small frown. Knowing that Ciel was not fond of public displays of affection, he reluctantly let the student go. He smirked at the gentle blush in his lover's face. He ran his hand over a reddened cheek before heading to the car.

The boy stood still for a second, marveling at how the ex-butler could read him like a book. There was no point in ever lying to him (not that Ciel ever would; he hated liars) because the man would see the dishonesty in his eyes. He could read even the faintest trace of sadness or anger on his pale features. Ciel tried to control the heated blush on his face as he followed the man and got into the passenger seat.

A few hours later, Ciel rubbed the fresh towel through his blue locks, trying to stop them from dripping all over his t-shirt. He walked around the house, turning off all unnecessary lights and electronics. When he finally made his way back to the bedroom, he threw the towel in a laundry hamper, placed his phone on the nightstand, and turned off the lamp, the only thing illuminating the room.

Sebastian felt the bed shift as the smaller male climbed in next to him. He turned to this new source of warmth and wrapped his arm around the boy's waist, drawing him into his chest.

Ciel didn't protest as he felt the man's warm chest. He relaxed, feeling exhaustion settle in over him.

"Good night." the teacher whispered in his ear.

"Good night." he replied, his eyes getting heavier.

"I love you." he added.

Before Ciel could respond, he had gently drifted off to sleep.

Sebastian's eyebrow raised at the rise and fall of the boy's sleeping form. _'He can be so… cute sometimes.' _he thought.

~Line Break~

On this particular morning, Ciel woke up of his own accord. He was slightly happy to roll out of bed without the disturbance of hyper blondes knocking on his door or strange and threatening text messages. He glanced at the alarm clock on his nightstand, one that he had for over eight years. It was only ten thirty-seven. Classes were cancelled for the day, as all of the professors had a meeting to discuss upcoming finals, so he was free for the entire day. A thought struck him and he reached for his cell phone, sat up in bed, and dialed a number.

"Funtom Publishing, how may I direct your call?" a chipper voice asked

"I'd like to speak with Arthur Kirkland." he said calmly.

"May I ask who is calling?" the secretary asked.

"Ciel Phantomhive." he said formally.

"Just a moment, sir." she replied. A few seconds later, a much deeper voice sounded.

"Mr. Phantomhive?" he asked.

"Good morning, Mr. Kirkland. I was calling to ask if you were free for that interview you wanted." he said politely.

"Of course, but I don't have another opening until twelve-thirty. I trust you know where the office is?" he inquired.

"Yes, I do. I'll see you then?" Ciel clarified.

"Yes." Mr. Kirkland said before he hung up the phone.

Ciel jumped out of bed. However, he was a little too excited because he tripped over the sheets and fell flat on his face. _'Damn floor.' _he cursed. He hurried off to the bathroom, showered, brushed his teeth, and picked out a professional-looking eyepatch, which didn't quite make sense since they _all _looked professional, as they were _all_ plain black. _'Hey, shut up. I'm not an emo, I just like black, alright? Damn author, making me sound stupid online..'_ he mumbled. After combing through his closet, he decided on a sky-blue, collared button-down shirt, black dress pants, and a pair of black dress shoes. _'Should I bring a copy of my résumé?'_ he considered. '_No, they already have a copy in my portfolio.'_ he dismissed. Twenty minutes later, he slid into the driver's seat of his blue car, coffee in hand, cellphone in pocket, and smirk on face. He was feeling confident about this interview. He had good grades, (Amazing, actually.) his criminal record was nearly impeccable, (Only a few street fights! Damn jersey kids…) and his work was extremely impressive. As he pulled out of the driveway, his dashboard rang, alerting him that someone was calling him from his car phone. His cellphone had automatically synced with his car for hands-free talking.

"_Incoming call from Alois Tranny" _the automated voice informed.

Ciel chuckled slightly at his play on the boy's name and said _"_Answer_."_

"Hey Ciel. Watcha doing today?" the boy asked excitedly.

"I've got a job interview." he replied.

"A job interview? With who?" Alois asked.

"Actually, it's _with whom." _Ciel corrected, being a stickler for proper grammar.

"Kiss my ass." the blonde quipped. "Who's interviewing you?"

"No one important, just Funtom Publishing!" he spilled.

"Funtom Publishing? Get the fuck out of here, man! Are you serious?"

"As serious as a heart attack!" Ciel exclaimed.

"You've been reading too much Death Note, but it doesn't matter cause you're getting a job at Funtom friggin' Publishing!" Alois nearly yelled.

"Calm down, man. I haven't even got the job yet." he pointed out.

"Bitch, please. You know you're going to ace this." the other student encouraged.

"I know." Ciel said confidently. "Have you been looking at any jobs yet, Tranny?" he asked.

"Well, kinda, but all of them look boring. I want to have some fun on the job!" he whined.

"If professionalism doesn't work out, you could always become a hooker." Ciel added hopefully.

"You'd be my best customer, wouldn't you?"

"Pfft. In your dreams."

"Yes, Ciel. You give me wet dreams." Alois said sarcastically.

"Eww, I didn't need to know that, you damn pervert."

"You're the pervert for taking me seriously!" the blonde answered with a smirk.

"Whatever, I've gotta go. Try not to jack off to my voice." Ciel added playfully.

"Too late." he joked.

"Perv. Bye, Tranny." Ciel said.

"Text me later and tell me how the interview went! Bye, Ciel." Alois said before hanging up the phone. The blonde snapped his phone closed and laid back on the bed. He sighed. Even a simple conversation like that was enough to make his stomach do flips. After so many years, he should be able to keep his feelings in check. He knew that he had no chance with the blue-haired boy, that Ciel was in love with Sebastian, and that his advances were completely one-sided. He knew all of that, but that didn't stop him from constantly thinking about the boy, and even hoping that maybe, just maybe, it could happen. _'It's not going to happen, so I need to stop hoping.' _he convinced himself. '_The only thing that matters is if Ciel is happy.' _

~Line Break~

Ciel took a deep breath and approached the secretary's desk. One out of the three people sitting there looked up.

"How may I help you, sir?" he asked.

"I'm here for a twelve-thirty appointment with Mr. Kirkland." Ciel said.

"Name?" the secretary asked.

"Ciel Phantomhive." he informed.

The man looked over a schedule on his computer. "Here you are; Interview with Ciel Phantomhive at twelve-thirty. You're right on time. Take the elevator to the fourth floor, and Mr. Kirkland will be waiting for you." he instructed.

"Thank you." the student said as he headed towards the elevators. The smooth floors gleamed under his feet as he walked though the lobby of the enormous building. Even the elevator seemed high-class and professional. When the doors separated, he was met by the gentle of a busy office. Phones ringing, copiers printing, and conversation were among the many sounds filling the floor.

"Mr. Phantomhive, I presume?" a man asked. His green eyes stood out boldly against the blonde hair sprawled messily across his hair. He seemed to be in his early to mid-twenties, but Ciel judged from his confident and respected demeanor that he was much older.

"Yes. It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Mr. Kirkland."

"As to you. Let's continue our conversation in my office." he said stiffly.

The blue-haired student followed his superior silently, taking in the sights of the place where he hoped to work. The blonde man ushered him inside his office, and he appraised the spacious, but well-kept, room. Ciel took a seat on the other side of a smooth, polished wooden desk, where the man sat.

Mr. Kirkland pulled Ciel's file from an adjoined cabinet and looked over his résumé. His huge, bushy blonde eyebrows raised quite a bit as he read through the young man's work, as he was obviously impressed. He tried to keep a poker face as he looked up to the somewhat nervous male.

"I suppose I should ask all of the usual questions. For starters, why do you think we should hire you? How can you contribute to Funtom Publishing?"

Ciel paused. He wasn't expecting to be asked that so early in the interview.

"Well, I'm very proficient when it comes to making deadlines, so late work shouldn't be a problem. I'll admit that I can be a little stubborn when it comes to making changes to my work, but I'm always willing to cooperate with the editors in any way that I can."

Mr. Kirkland smiled at his honesty, glad that he wasn't going for the "I'm good at my work and will do whatever you want as long as I get the job" angle.

"Alright, riddle me this: Your editor tells you to make a change in one of your pieces. You know that you're right, but the editor is completely against it. You can either trust your editor, or rely on your own instincts. Which do you choose?"

Ciel took a second to think this over. "I suppose I would trust the editor in this instance. He would have more experience in this field, so his judgment should be better than mine. However, I would pay special attention to how his idea panned out. If it didn't go over well, I would know not to take his advice in that area again." he said cleverly.

"And what if you were wrong, and his idea does work?"

"I doubt that I'll be wrong, but I suppose an apology would be in order." Ciel said coolly.

The blonde man looked back to his résumé, thinking over his response. He liked the kid. He was confident, but not arrogant. He was intelligent, but he wasn't a smart-ass. Well, kind of, but he made up for it with his talent. There was only one thing that he needed to test. His patience. If he wanted to work here at Funtom Publishing, he needed patience, especially with the editor he had in mind. He clicked a button on the phone on his desk and spoke into the speaker.

"Can you send Feliks in here please?" he asked.

A few seconds later, someone knocked rather loudly on the door.

"Come in." the bushy-eyebrowed man called.

A blonde boy entered the room, looking no older than nineteen or twenty. His blonde hair fell straight to the end of his face. He raised an eyebrow expectantly.

"Take Mr. Phantomhive to the breakroom, get him some coffee, then bring him back here." he instructed.

"Kay." Feliks said as he headed back to the door.

Ciel got up and followed the blonde out of the room. After they exited the office, the younger male turned to him.

"Are you, like, trying to get a job here?" he asked with a bit of interest.

"Yes. As a writer." he answered, not sure if he should remain formal.

"OMG, you don't have to be so stuffy like Mr. Kirkland. I'm just an intern. My name's Feliks." the blonde said as they entered the elevator.

"I'm Ciel."

"Cool name." Feliks praised.

The two exited on the appropriate floor, and Feliks led them to a room that held a few tables, counters, a refrigerator, a coffee maker, and a microwave. Almost everything in the room seemed clean and pearly white.

"Do you want, like, decaf?" the blonde asked.

"Gross. I'll make it myself." he said quickly. The boy poured a good amount into a Styrofoam cup, adding a few (many) shots of creamer and sugar.

"Do you like working here?" he asked.

"Meh. It's alright, I guess. The people here are kinda cool and, like, really serious about their jobs. But I guess you have to be if you're, like, working at Funtom Publishing. LOL." he said with a smile.

"Hopefully, I'll be working here too." Ciel stated, sipping his coffee.

"Well, I usually don't offer coffee to someone unless they're doing, like, awesome in the interview. You are _so_ in there!" Feliks exclaimed.

After only five minutes of idle chatting, Ciel was starting to get annoyed. It wasn't that Feliks was irritating. It was just the way he talked that grated on the young man's nerves. He felt his exasperation rise every time he heard the word "like", and he swore he was going to scream if heard another mainstream texting acronym spill from the boy's lips. He willed himself to calm down, sure that if had put up with Alois for so long, he could definitely withstand this intern for a few more minutes. As they were talking, a brown-haired male came in slightly panicked. He babbled quickly to Feliks, something along the lines of: "He's after me again," and "a lead pipe!"

"Kolkolkol" echoed from somewhere on the level, and the brunette hurried out of the room.

Ciel looked after him confusedly, but decided that it was best if he didn't know.

"Umm.. Let's, like, head back to Mr. Kirkland's." Feliks suggested.

The blue-eyed student nodded in approval.

A minute later, he stood outside Mr. Kirkland's office door, his nervousness returning.

"Oh em gee, Ciel. We should totes hang out sometime! I'll send you, like, a friend request on Spacebook. Add me, kay?" Feliks said before disappearing in a sea of cubicles.

Ciel nodded, took a deep breath, then knocked gingerly on the office door.

"Come in." a voice called.

He exhaled slowly and stepped inside the office. He smiled slightly at his superior and sat down opposite him.

"I see you survived Feliks." Mr. Kirkland commented.

Ciel paused, his eyebrows knit in confusion, then his face relaxed into a sly grin.

"So, all of that was just a test?" he asked.

"Yes; a test of patience, and you passed with flying colors. Others would have either slapped Feliks, left the building, or a mixture of both. You played the game well, Mr. Phantomhive."

"You have to play the game well if you ever hope to win." Ciel claimed.

"Indeed." the blonde agreed. "I'll give you a call in a matter of days. It's been a pleasure." Mr. Kirkland added, standing up.

"Yes, it has. Thank you for your time." the student said, shaking the man's hand.

"Keep up the good work. You'll go far, Mr. Phantomhive."

~Line Break~

Ciel strutted back to his car, a new spring in his step. It was only a quarter to three as he slid into his small blue vehicle.

"Call Alois Tranny." he ordered his dashboard as he started his car.

"_Calling Alois Tranny." _the voice parroted.

"Hello?"

"Guess what, Tranny?"

"Cieeeel! Stop it with the Tranny! But what happened at the interview?"

"I think I did good, man. The guy said he would call me in a few days." Ciel informed.

"Whoo! My little Ciel's going to be a famous writer!"

"Shut it. How did your date go?"

"I'm on my way there right now."

"Are you on the phone while driving again? What the hell did I tell you, Alois?"

"Jeez, calm down _Mom._" Alois mocked. "I've gotta go. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye, _Tranny_."

"Fuck you." the blonde bit before hanging up his cell phone and flinging it in the passenger seat. He turned up the radio and blasted the Mindless Self Indulgence that poured from the speakers, singing along.

_I never wanted to dance with nobody but you_

_Wouldn't take no for an answer_

_You fucking bitch!_

At a stoplight, he paused to look over his wardrobe. He was wearing black shorts that stopped halfway up his thighs, a white collared shirt that was unbuttoned so a part of his porcelain chest was slightly revealed, and a matching black vest that was somewhat tight over his small frame. He also wore black combat boots with white stitching. The outfit was completed with a cute black sailor's hat that had a white ribbon attached to it, which was balanced on top of his blonde locks. The young man always took pride in what he wore, whether he was going out on a date, or going out for ice cream.

_I am too cool _

_For the second grade_

_I'm amazed _

_I'm afraid_

_I am too cool_

_For the second grade_

_There is nothing_

_You can do_

_That I have not_

_Already done to myself _

He hummed to himself as he pulled into the parking lot, slid his cell phone into his pocket, and got out of the car. Alexander had arranged for them to meet at the park for a scenic walk. He spied the brunet sitting on a bench near the entrance. He walked up to him confidently and sat next to him.

"Good afternoon. Were you waiting long?" he purred.

"Only a little, but I suppose it was worth it." he said, eyeing the boy's outfit.

"You're cute." Alois said with a smirk.

He two boys chatted aimlessly for a while. Alexander would say something sweet and cute, and Alois would comment on it in a fumy way. The blonde actually found himself having a good time.

Alexander sighed. "Okay, Alois. Let's cut the crap. Word around the school is that you're the biggest slut on campus. Why don't we stop kidding around and head back to my apartment?" he proposed.

The blonde's face fell and a flash of anger went through his eyes, but he masked it well, a smirk returning to his soft lips.

"What happened to your subtle innocence?" he asked coolly.

Alexander just shrugged, lust and hunger evident in his eyes.

"We don't have to wait for the apartment. If you're that ready, we can have some fun right here…" he hinted as he ran a finger over the student's stiff groin.

Alexander titled his head back and hissed when the blond unzipped his pants, satisfaction obvious on his face.

"Oh, and one more thing…."

"Hm?" the brunet mumbled, already lost in his own selfish desire.

"I'm not just some slut off the street, so wipe the cum out of your eyes and go find another whore, you dirty motherfucking bitch." he spewed acidly. For good measure, he spat on Alexander's exposed crotch and stormed off, leaving an angered and appalled young man in his wake.

~Line Break~

Ciel stuck his key in the door, fantasizing about relaxing on his couch, perhaps with a slice of strawberry cake. He entered his home, took off his neat black shoes at the door, and walked down the hallway to the living room. He stopped short when he saw an unfamiliar person on his couch.

**Who is this mysterious person? Review to find out….**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry it took so long…. But it's worth it, I swear! ****J**** I do not own Kuroshitsuji, Paramore, or any other proper nouns.**

**P.S~ This chapter has lemons in it, so if you don't like it, just skip over it.**

**Me: Who doesn't like lemons?**

**Claude: *raises hand***

**Me: No one likes you; your opinion doesn't count!**

**Claude: *lowers hand and explodes***

**Me: Hehehe ;D**

The man sat upon the couch comfortably, giving Ciel a once-over with his deep violet eyes. A small smile graced his perfectly pale features and his crinkled, bleach blonde hair fell to his shoulders. He wore a simple blue shirt that hugged his slender torso and a pair of fitted jeans. Slightly tall, he rested one ankle over the other knee, waiting patiently. The man was stunning, and Ciel concluded that he was no ordinary person.

"You must be Ciel." the man said conversationally.

Ciel distrusted the stranger of course, but knew that if his assumption was correct, there would be no point in running, or anything else for that matter.

"And, who are you exactly?" he asked snappily.

"Hmm… Sebastian was right; you _are_ spirited. But he's always liked the feisty ones." the stranger added knowingly.

'_Alright. He seems to know Sebastian. Where is that guy, anyways?' _the boy thought warily.

"Let me guess, you're a demon, too?" Ciel inquired.

"Intelligent too? Yes, I am a demon, child." the man stated, still sitting on the couch.

Ciel scowled at being called a child, but brushed it off. "Are you here to see Sebastian?" he asked.

"Yes. He asked me to meet him here." the man stated.

"Alright. I'll be back. You can stay there." Ciel ordered more than offered.

He gave the man one more analyzing glare before heading down the hallway to his shared bedroom. He quickly changed from his professional looking clothes to a comfortable t-shirt and pair of ripped jeans. He picked up his cell phone to call Sebastian about the intruder, but paused when he heard the front door open and close. He shoved his phone in his pocket, quickly checked his appearance, and padded down the hallway back to the living room to see his lover entering the house with his briefcase.

"Good afternoon, my love." Sebastian called from the doorway.

"Hey." Ciel called lightly.

Sebastian put down his things and walked over to Ciel, draping his arm around his slim waist and pulling him into a soft kiss.

The student blushed slightly under the amused watch of the purple-eyed man on the couch.

Noticing this, the older man smirked and broke the contact, taking the boy's hand instead.

"I believe a proper introduction is needed." he said, leading Ciel over to the sitting male.

"Ciel, this is Mathias, a dear friend of mine." he stated.

The tall man stood and shook Ciel's outstretched hand.

"Mathias, this is Ciel, the love of my life." he added smoothly.

Ciel gave him a flushed scowl at the introduction, but didn't object.

"He fits your description. As soon as he came in, he knew my true self and wasn't afraid in the slightest." the man added as he sat back down.

Sebastian sat in an armchair across from him. Ciel, still holding the man's hand, sat on the armrest of the chair.

"Yes, he's extremely intellectual. Not a thing gets past him." the teacher agreed.

Ciel rolled his cerulean eyes, but was pleased by the compliment.

"So how are your pieces selling?" Sebastian asked.

"Quite well, actually. I told you it wouldn't he hard to be an artist in this century, Sebs." Mathias added with a grin.

The raven-haired man shook his head at the use of his nickname.

"Well, you know you're always right, _Matt." _Sebastian mocked.

"Going there? I guess you want me to bring up what happened in the 70's."

Ciel's eyebrows raised, now that conversation had gotten interesting. _'This guy's not bad…' _he thought.

"What happened in the 70's?" the boy asked.

"Don't you dare." Sebastian said menacingly, an evil smirk plastered on his face.

Mathias scoffed and continued speaking.

"Well, back then, Sebastian was really-"

Ciel's phone buzzed in his pocket, still on vibrate from the interview.

"Sorry. I'll be right back." he said quickly as he shuffled off to the kitchen.

"Hello?" he answered the phone.

"Ciel? Are you there?" a familiar voice called.

"Alois? What's going on?" he asked, sensing the hurt in the other's tone.

"Alexander was an asshole." Alois said spitefully.

"What happened, Tranny?"

Alois smiled slightly, but frowned again when he thought about the date.

"The guy was just looking for a new fuck-buddy. What a bitch." he mumbled.

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him to fuck off. I was tempted to kick his ass in the park, but I didn't want to rip my shorts."

"Your not allowed to prostitute for anyone except me. Don't forget that, Tranny." Ciel ordered jokingly.

"Shut up. You're a weirdo."

"I'm just saying. Anyways, are you alright?"

"Yeah."

"You sure you don't want me to kick his ass for you?"

"No, Ciel. You'll get arrested again, and Sebastian will get mad." Alois warned.

"Will you be angry if I get arrested again, Sebastian?" Ciel called into the living room.

"Not if you let _me _punish you." the man hinted slyly.

Ciel blushed at the gentle laughter of Mathias and the cackling of the blonde on the phone. _'They're laughing, but he's probably serious.'_

"Shut the hell up." he reprimanded his peer. "I'm hanging up."

"Alright. Thanks for… you know." he hinted.

"I get it. Just stop stalking my life."

"Bye Ciel."

"Bye, Tranny." he hung up the phone and headed back into the living room, where Mathias and Sebastian were waiting. Returning to his perch on his lover's armrest, he looked at the grins on the men's faces.

"What did I miss?" he asked suspiciously.

"Nothing. Just recalling old times." Sebastian answered, placing a chaste kiss on the boy's cheek.

"So, how did you two meet?" Mathias inquired.

Both of them looked a little uncomfortable and hesitated before answering.

"Umm… we were…. uh…." Ciel stuttered. Both of them were tentative to talk about the earlier parts of their relationship, seeing as it wasn't supposed to have happened.

"Ciel was my pupil." Sebastian said finally.

"Mr. Proper doing something against the rules?" Mathias joked. "You must really be something special, Ciel." he added.

"Yes, he is." the man said, taking Ciel's hand again.

"Shut up. You're both idiots." the student said, avoiding their vibrant eyes.

Identical demonic smirks turned their lips and they chuckled lightly.

A few minutes later, the blonde stood up.

"I'd better get going. It was nice seeing you again, Sebs." he said.

"Come back any time, Mathias." the man answered, nodding to him.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Ciel." he said also, shaking the boy's smaller hand. He looked into the boy's visible sapphire eye, and hesitated slightly, taken aback. Ciel failed to notice this, but Sebastian did.

The pair led Mathias to the door, bidding him good night before closing it behind him.

Sebastian turned to Ciel, clasping his waist with his porcelain hands.

Ciel shivered slightly, but wrapped his arms around the man's neck.

"Ciel?"

"Hm?"

"I love you." the man whispered huskily in his ear. He took his time to kiss his cheek gently, then capture his mouth as well.

Ciel complied to the lips moving against his own, pressing harder, pushing the man further.

Sebastian's cool fingers traced along the boy's waist, eliciting a moan from the blue-haired student. Losing his patience, he scooped him up in his arms, navigating them to the bedroom.

*Due to the purging of MA fics on this site, I am moving the lemon chapters of my fics to my deviantart account of the same name. ( renaechan77 dot deviantart dot com [fill in the dots and spaces]) I'm sorry for any inconvenience, but I don't make the damn rules. D:

And don't worry, you don't need to have a DA account to view it~

~Line Break~

The bright red glow on the display of the alarm clock cut through the darkness of the room. With the curtains drawn, the two figures resting were barely visible. Ciel shifted slowly under the sheets and was surprised to find a arm wrapped around his waist. _'Oh yeah, I forgot that Sebastian has the day off today.' _he thought, glancing at the clock.

"Ciel?" a velvety voice called. "Are you awake?"

"Yeah." he answered, sitting up under the charcoal-colored sheets. "Good morning."

"Good morning, my love." Sebastian said, giving him an affectionate peck on the cheek and getting out of the bed. Dressed only in a pair of black boxers, he crossed the room and pulled back the curtains, allowing daylight in.

Ciel squinted as his blue eyes adjusted to the sun's radiance. "Let me sleep." he muttered.

Ignoring this, Sebastian approached him and reveled in the fact that he wasn't wearing anything except for his shirt. He slyly ran his hand over the boy's ass when he picked him up and carried him into the bathroom.

Ciel protested at first, but quieted when his shirt was taken off and he was pulled into the shower with the raven-haired man.

Warm water sprinkled over their now naked bodies, making the room fill with foggy steam. As he showered, Sebastian tried to ignore the slightly smaller porcelain frame in front of him, but he was failing. Giving up, he leaned in and nipped a small patch of soft skin on Ciel's neck, kissing and lapping at the mark he left.

"Nnn…Seb-…Sebastian, we can't. Stop." Ciel pleaded, his own moans contradicting him.

"But you're making me hard. I want to take you right here, Ciel." Sebastian added, tracing his slender fingers over his waist and hips.

Ciel turned around quickly, which he realized was a very bad idea.

His lower half twitched excitedly as he slowly took in the sight of the man's soaked black locks sticking to his face, which held a lustful, but sexy, expression, his wet and refined chest, and the crimson eyes that were staring at him so intently.

Sebastian noticed his growing erection and smirked, pushing him up against the tiled wall of the shower and attacking his lips hungrily.

A surprised groan leaving his lips, the blue-eyed boy gave in, coaxing the man's lips open so he could dominate his warm mouth. A breath caught in his throat when he felt a finger ghost along his hard member.

As he let go of Ciel's kiss-swollen lips, Sebastian gently pumped him into his hand, returning to his neck to leave lovely marks.

"Shit." Ciel swore, holding on to the man's shoulders for support. "Nng… Keep going, Sebas-_ahh_. Fuck, that's good.. Nnn." he moaned, rocking into Sebastian's hand as pleasure pooled in his stomach.

The teacher licked one last mark before bringing his lips to Ciel's ear.

"You were right, Ciel. We can't." he mocked, stopping his movement suddenly.

Ciel looked confused, then realized that the man was repeating his own words. "Bastard." he muttered through his own labored breathing.

For good measure, Sebastian gave his ear a teasing lick and stepped out of the shower, leaving the room.

Ciel was going to give him a string of irritated obscenities, but quieted at the view of his exposed backside. It only resulted in making him even harder, which was becoming painful.

"Damn that demon." he mumbled, reaching down to relieve himself.

~Line Break~

Ciel came down the staircase, dry and freshly dressed in a pair of semi-tight jeans and a loose v-neck. He walked calmly into the kitchen and sat down at the breakfast bar beside Sebastian, who was looking over a stack of worksheets that had yet to be graded.

"It's your day off. Stop doing work-related things." Ciel scolded.

"I have to." he replied.

Sighing as he moved the papers aside, Ciel climbed into his lap and straddled his hips. "No. Work is boring. I want to do something fun." he hinted, linking his arms around the man's neck.

"Ciel, you know I have to gra-" he cut off and swallowed hard as his lover started to grind against his clothed crotch.

Ciel smirked and slowed down his movements, pressing his lips to the man's smooth skin to leave a few marks of his own.

Sebastian knew exactly what he was doing, but that didn't mean he wasn't enjoying it. He was aware that Ciel was trying to get back at him for what happened in the shower, and he was more than happy to oblige. He hooked his fingers through the boy's belt loops and pulled him closer, holding him to the spot. _'Hmm… maybe I can move things in my favor….' _he plotted.

Ciel noticed that he was trapped and panicked inwardly. Things weren't going according to plan. He was supposed to get him nice and aroused, then leave, but one hand was linked around his belt loop, holding him in place, and the other hand was roaming dangerously close to his zipper. _'Damn. I'd better think fast.'_

"Sebastian?"

"Yes?"

"I think it would be best if we called a truce." Ciel suggested.

Sebastian chuckled and shook his head, a wicked glimmer in his red eyes.

"No, no, no. You started this game, and now you have to finish it." he stated, putting him on the counter and spreading his legs.

'_Oh shit.' _The grin on Sebastian's face told Ciel that he about to get it mercilessly, and he hadn't even fully recovered from last night. _'I'm going to be limping to class today.' _The man took off his shirt to be safe, and Ciel couldn't deny that he looked extremely sexy.

The phone suddenly rang in the living room, and Ciel quickly hopped off the counter to answer it. "Saved by the bell." he muttered, trying to tone down the slight tent in his pants. When he returned to the kitchen, Sebastian had composed himself and went back to grading his papers with a blank look on his face.

"Who was it?" he asked calmly.

"Just a wrong number."

Sebastian nodded and turned his attention back to his work.

Ciel watched him cautiously and went to the other side of the kitchen, looking through the cabinets. _'Looks like I won this round. I thought for sure that I would be disinfecting that counter later.'_ Before he could turn around, he felt a pair of hands on his waist, freezing him. A smooth voice whispered in his ear.

"The game isn't over, Mr. Phantomhive. In fact, it's only begun."

The boy exhaled and Sebastian was gone, leaving him in the room alone and a little turned on.

"Damn."

~Line Break~

Alois sat on the bench in the courtyard of the university, a little bored. Ciel didn't have a lecture for another hour, therefore he was still at home, and the blonde had nothing to do. _'My next class starts in twenty minutes, so I don't have time to go anywhere and get back in time. I guess I'll go pick on the underclassmen…' _he thought aimlessly. As he walked along, he caught a glimpse of his reflection in a puddle and bumped into someone, sending their books crashing to the ground.

"Whoops. My bad, man." he apologized as he bent down to help him pick them up.

The tall boy pushed his small frames up on the bridge of his nose, his long black hair pulled into a ponytail. "It's fine. No one sees me anyways." he mumbled more to himself.

Alois looked up at the comment and noted that this guy was pretty cute. In an awkwardly-cute-puppy kind of way.

"Crap. I'm going to be late." he said. "Thank you." he hurried, taking his books and jogging off.

'_Damn. I should have at least gotten his name.' _he cursed. Something black caught his eye, and he noticed a notebook in the grass. _'If this is a Death Note, I _so _know who I'm killing first.' _he thought_. _To his dismay, it was only a normal spiral notebook. _'That guy must have dropped it.'_ he concluded, flipping to the first page and reading what was written in neat handwriting.

"Interesting….."

~Line Break~

Ciel spied his blonde companion near the school entrance, his face in what appeared to be a book.

"Alois Tracy? Reading a book? The world is coming to an end!" he teased as he approached.

The boy didn't even look up when he flipped Ciel off. "This isn't a book, dumbass. It's a _notebook_."

"What's in it?"

"Just some poetry. I knocked into this guy earlier and he dropped it, but I haven't seen him around, so I can't give it back yet."

"Is it good?"

"Actually, it's not bad. Look."

_You say that I've been changing_

_That I'm not just simply aging_

_Yeah how could that be logical?_

_Just keep on cramming ideas _

_Down my throat_

_You don't have to believe me_

_But the way I see it_

_Next time you point the finger_

_I might have to bend it back_

_Or break it off_

_Next time you point the finger_

_I'll point you to the mirror _

"Deep." Ciel said finally. "He's a good writer, whoever he is."

"I know right." Alois agreed.

Ciel suddenly thought to bring up something that had been bothering him.

"Umm… Alois?" he called.

The blonde looked up from the notebook.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" he asked.

Alois stiffened, a bit of alarm evident on his face. "Why do you say that?" he asked nervously.

"I ran into Claude the other day."

"That fucking asshole."

"So… what's going on? Why does he know about something that I don't?"

The sky-blue-eyed boy sighed and pulled Ciel aside, out of the earshot of others.

"Ciel, just promise me you won't tell anyone."

"Of course."

"And please don't get mad at me. I just couldn't tell you."

"It's alright Alois, just tell me what's going on."

"Remember in high school, when I transferred out in sophomore year, then I came back in our senior year?"

"Yes…." Ciel said, not sure where he was going with this.

"When I transferred, I didn't go to a different school. My foster parents checked me into a mental institution for two years."

Ciel's eyes widened and his words failed him. He should have expected this; Alois _had_ tried to kill himself, but still. The thought of your best friend being admitted into a psychiatric hospital is a little shocking.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he finally choked.

"I don't know. I guess I was ashamed. No one wants to be friends with a crazy person, Ciel."

"You're not crazy. Maybe a little weird and touchy sometimes, but you're not crazy."

Alois smiled and looked Ciel in the eye for the first time since the conversation had started. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you." he added.

"It's okay, Tranny." Ciel consoled.

"Asshole. Let's get to class."

The pair shuffled into the building, parting ways in the hallway and heading off to their assigned classes. Ciel slipped into his usual seat in the huge lecture hall, glancing around the slowly filling room. _'Wow…. That's not what I was expecting at all. I thought he was going to confess his love for me or something. Pfft. Like that's ever going to happen.'_ he dismissed. His jaded eyesight returned to the front, towards the chalkboard. _'I wonder what we're doi-'_

Ciel suddenly cursed loudly, his hand covering his already velvet-sheathed eye. The sharp pain lingered for a second, then dissolved. The student froze in surprise and confusion. His eye hadn't hurt like that for years, so why was it doing so all of a sudden? Concluding that something must be wrong, Ciel started to gather his things, hurrying out of the lecture hall.

'_I've got to tell Sebastian.'_

~Line Break~

Mathias laughed lightly at the other demon's joke, pulling back the hair that had fallen in his face. "So, you're saying that the only reason why George Washington became president was because you slept with the first lady?" he asked, turning to him on the couch.

"Indeed." Sebastian agreed, his fangirl-melting smirk present.

"You, my friend, are one whorish demon." Mathias added. "Or should I say, one hell of whore."

Sebastian just shrugged and turned towards the door, where he heard the jingle of keys.

"Ciel's home early." he noted curiously.

Mathias saw the window of opportunity and decided to take it. Timing himself perfectly, he waited until Ciel was in their line of vision, then, with demonic strength and speed to rival Sebastian's, he quickly pushed the other man onto the couch and kissed him.

Sebastian's face twisted into confusion. Before he could shove the other demon off, an angry voice called out.

"What the fuck is going on?" Ciel asked.

Sebastian quickly pushed Mathias away, instantly regaining control.

"Oh, don't stop on _my_ account." the blue-haired boy spat sarcastically, his sapphire eyes brimming with anger.

"I think I'd better leave." Mathias said quickly, hiding his evil smirk with fake embarrassment as he got up from the couch.

"No shit, Sherlock."

As the front door closed, Ciel turned to Sebastian, using his anger to hide his hurt and shock.

"Ciel. Please allow me to explain-"

"Let me guess. He tripped over the leg of the coffee table and fell on your lips? He was getting a crumb off of your face with his mouth? Or the best one of all: _He _kissed _you."_

"Actually, that _is_ what happened. I was talking to him, and he just kissed me." Sebastian said quickly.

"Yeah right. At least come up with a better lie than that, Sebastian." Ciel yelled.

"I'm telling the tr-"

"Whatever. Leave me the hell alone."

Ciel stomped out of the room, or at least, he tried to. Sebastian, using his demonic speed, stepped in front of him, blocking his way.

"Get out of my way." the student seethed.

"No. We need to talk about this." Sebastian uttered, losing his patience.

"There's nothing to talk about. Now _move_."

Ciel made an attempt to push the older man aside, but was instead grabbed by the shoulders and pushed into the wall.

"Ciel, listen to me. Why would I ever lie to you? Why would I ever do anything like this?" Sebastian said, locking crimson eyes onto a blue one.

"Let. Go. Of. Me." Ciel said slowly, every word dripping with malice.

"No, Ciel. You're acting childish."

"Fucking let me _go_!"

"_SLAP!"_

The loud whack echoed through the house, the only thing audible in the silence.

Sebastian's struck cheek was red, matching his eyes which were wide open in disbelief. Ciel hadn't slapped him since the Victorian Era.

Ciel's eyes were wide open as well, in awe of his own impulsive actions. His shock quickly subsided and he shoved the teacher away, heading out the front door and slamming it closed behind him, leaving Sebastian dazed and alone in the empty house.

**Damn! What's going to happen to them? Reviewers get digital Pocky!**


	4. Chapter 4

_**I officially give a slice of cyber-cake to whoever guessed where Ciel was going. Ah, fuck it. Cyber-cake for everyone! Damn. One whole month. (and a few days) Sorry for taking so long to update. I feel like a bigger tool than Mathias LoL. But anywhoozles, I hope you enjoy this chapter. **_

The cool night air hit Ciel's face like a whip as he hurried out of the house. Angry tears clouded his vision as he sped down the steps, stopping short in the driveway. He looked at the sleek black car that he had grown so accustomed to with an infuriated frown and kicked the passenger door. He ignored the pain in his foot, for the searing pain in his chest felt a million times worse. The small dent in the black door did nothing to soothe his hurting agony, so he climbed into his own azure vehicle, not knowing where he wanted to go, but knowing that he need to go somewhere, _anywhere_. When he sat in the drivers seat, his fury ebbed away, leaving only confusion and heartache. _'What the hell just happened? How could Sebastian do something like that?' _he thought. _'Sebastian wouldn't do something like this. There must be a logical explanation.' _his conscience persisted_. 'The most reasonable thing to do right now would be to go back into the house and talk this out.' _Ciel ignored the voice in the back of his mind and started the car, wiping away the silent tears that managed to spill over.

"Fuck the most reasonable thing to do."

~Line Break~

Alois flipped through the black notebook, stopping here and there to look over the poetry. Most of the words formed thoughts he could relate to, and he understood how the other person was feeling through his writing. One of the pages had made he blonde tear up, while another had him laughing for half an hour. _'I really need to find this gu-'_

The doorbell to his two-bedroom apartment rang, and he got up from his seat on the lavender leather couch to answer it.

"Ciel? What are you doing here?" he asked.

The blue-haired student did his best to appear nonchalant. "I just didn't feel like hanging out at home. Can I come in?"

"Sure, man." he said, opening the door wider.

Ciel stepped inside, already accustomed to the white and lavender furnishings. Sometimes he wondered about his friend's (lack of) taste. Taking a seat on a plush white armchair, he slightly pushed his bangs in front of his eyes and hoped that they weren't red from the tears.

Alois wasn't fooled and sat on the coffee table, facing Ciel with an analyzing expression.

"Are you sure you're alright, Ciel?"

"I'm fine."

Alois knew that Ciel was definitely _not_ fine, but could tell from the way that he spoke that he didn't want to talk about it. The blonde was somewhat torn. He wanted Ciel to talk to him, to tell him what had happened. On the other hand, he could see the look in his sapphire eyes. The student seemed as if he could fall apart from even thinking about it, and Alois would be unable to help him.

Alois stood and sighed, giving Ciel a light push in the side.

"Let's go, man."

"Where?"

"We're about to go party! I know this awesome club where your first drink is free if you're new."

"I don't know. I'm not really in the mood to-"

"I'm not hearing it, Ciel. Get your ass up! I'm going to change, then we're leaving!" Alois exclaimed, running down a hallway.

Ciel rolled his eyes. He knew that this was his friend's futile attempt to cheer him up, but he wasn't completely against the idea. As long as they did something to get his mind off of Sebastian.

~Line Break~

The energetic pounding of dance music could be heard down the entire block as Ciel parked a few feet away from the club's entrance.

"You ready?" Alois asked with a smile.

"I'm not sure I want to walk down the street with you in those clothes."

"What? My outfit looks great, man!" he exclaimed, looking over his wardrobe again. Tonight's ensemble consisted of a blood red v-neck that stopped right over his navel, and a pair of shorts that were small enough to be illegal in four countries. The shorts hung snugly on his hips with red cuffs and black suspenders tightly strapped down his chest. His slender legs were bare, ending with a pair of stylish Oxford-looking boots.

"I think you're just hating because you look so plain." Alois accused with a smirk.

Ciel shrugged. The black button-up that he had borrowed from the blonde and dark jeans seemed fine to him.

"Whatever. Let's go get wasted and fucking party!" Alois exclaimed, jumping out of the car excitedly.

Ciel shook his head at the other's wildness, exiting the car and accompanying the other down the sidewalk. The line outside the club was huge and didn't seem to be moving.

"Don't tell me we have to wait in this long ass line." Ciel muttered.

"Relax, Ciel. I got this!" the blonde said, grabbing his hand and pulling him to the front.

A generic beefcake bouncer stood at the entrance. You know, the one with the black t-shirt that's twelve sizes to small and says "SECURITY" in big white letters.

'_Oh shit. What does Alois think he's doing? How the hell are we going to get past this guy?' _Ciel thought.

The muscular man had his eyes glued to his clipboard, not looking up when the pair approached him.

"Name?" he asked flatly.

"Alois." the blonde said confidently.

The man chuckled, still not looking up from his list. "Yeah, right. Either tell me your name or get to the end of the line."

"Alois." he repeated.

The bouncer finally looked up. A scowl of annoyance on his face, he was ready to tell someone off, but froze and smiled warmly in recognition.

"My bad, Alois. I thought you were another one of these weirdoes trying to get in."

"Don't worry about it." Alois dismissed as the man allowed them into the club.

Ciel's jaw dropped. "The fuck? How did you get us in here?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm a regular here; everyone knows me. Plus, Pippi and I are friends from way back." he explained as he led him to the bar.

'_From way back? How the hell did he- wait, Pippi?' _Ciel thought incredulously. He shook his head, and decided when it came to Alois, it was better if he didn't know.

The pair sat down on the bar stools as a blonde bartender gave them two coasters.

"Good evening, gentlemen. Oh, hi Alois." he recognized with a smile.

"How's it going, kiddo. This is Ciel; he's new." Alois introduced.

Ciel gave a nod and the bartender smiled again.

"A new one, eh? Well I guess your first drink is on us. What'll you have?"

"Nope. He's not drinking tonight." Alois interrupted.

"Like hell I'm not. Give me a beer." Ciel snapped.

"Cieeeeeel." Alois whined. "I need you to give me a ride home; you can't drink."

Ciel frowned. "Shit. Alright, but you owe me. Big time." he muttered.

"Fuck yeah!" Alois exclaimed, adding a pelvic thrust for emphasis. "Bring me my usual and something virgin for little Ciel here." he teased, pinching the other student's cheek.

Ciel slapped his hand away and took a look around the club. Knowing Alois's style and taste, he was expecting some crazy party with lots of stripper poles and chicks dancing in pink cages that were hung from the ceilings with fuzzy plush furniture. Instead, he saw dark blue tables and booths, all centered around a large dance floor where men and women danced rhythmically. The bar was very orderly and lined with people chatting softly. The steady base from the dance music created a energetic vibe.

Alois tilted back a shot of God-knows-what and slammed the small glass down with a gusto.

"Let's dance, Ciel." he invited.

"No." the young man deadpanned.

"C'mon, man. You're no fun!" he prodded.

"I'll dance with you." a slick voice said.

Alois turned to the speaker, a light-haired man who looked to be in his late twenties. The man's blue eyes traveled shamelessly over Alois's body, stopping on the exposed patches of skin.

Ciel rolled his eyes at the man's obviousness, but Alois smirked.

"Sure." he said, grabbing the man's tanned hands and pulling him to the dance floor.

Ciel watched them sway to the music for a while, but lost interest and turned back to the bar. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket to check the time and noticed that he had seven missed calls from Sebastian. Determined not to think about him, he hastily shoved the device back into his pocket with a slight frown.

"Ignoring their calls, hm? Nice way to get back at them." a voice commented.

Ciel looked up at the new face. The young man had long black hair, which was pulled into a ponytail, and glasses. His nametag read "Andrew", and he seemed to be about Ciel's age.

"Where'd that other guy go?" Ciel asked.

"I'm taking over his shift. It's my first day, in fact. Everyone calls me Drew, so you can as well." he answered. "Do you want anything to drink?"

"No thanks. My idiot friend is making me drive him home."

Drew laughed lightly. "Yeah, that sucks. But we've all been there." he added.

Ciel smiled and concluded that this guy wasn't that bad. The two talked about random things as Drew made drinks and served others. A woman called from the other end of the bar and Drew exhaled.

"Alright. Let's hope I don't completely screw this up." he said positively.

"Good luck." Ciel said.

"Whoo, where'd the bartender go? I want another drink!" Alois pouted as he returned to the bar, taking a seat next to Ciel.

"I'll kick your ass if you get wasted and act like an idiot." Ciel threatened.

"Don't worry. I'm a very pleasant drunk." Alois joked.

"You're not even pleasant when you're sober." the student pointed out.

Alois giggled and played with his suspender strap absent-mindedly. Perhaps it was the alcohol, or it was his spontaneous way of thinking, but his mind was working of its own accord.

"Ciel." he called.

The blue-haired teen turned and was surprised when Alois kissed him. His expression changed from confusion to anger and hurriedly shoved the blonde away.

"What the fuck was that?" he asked incredulously.

Alois's eyes widened as he realized what he had done.

"Ciel, I'm so sorry. I…I just-"

"Whatever, Alois. I'm leaving." he snapped, leaving the bar in a huff.

Alois watched in regret as his friend stormed off and left the club. _'Dammit. Why did I do that? Now he's going to hate me.' _The thought of his best friend hating him made the blonde sick to his stomach, and he went off to find a bathroom. He pushed through the door and was glad that it was empty inside. Leaning on the granite countered sink, he stared at his expression coldly. _'I'm such a fucking idiot. Now what am I going to do?' _

The electric music continued, and an older blonde man tapped his finger on the table rhythmically. Eager women flocked around him, but he didn't pay them any attention. In fact, he was too focused on the scene that had just taken place at the bar. His lip curled into a sneer. _'Well well well. That certainly makes things easier. Everything's falling into place.' _he concluded. Mathias took a final drink of the impotent alcohol and left the club, his mind already racing with plans and plots.

Drew exhaled in relief as the woman gave him a twenty dollar tip. He had heard from the guys that this person was a tough customer, but he managed to pull it off. The young man called another bartender to cover for him while he took a quick trip to the bathroom. _'Just gonna throw a little water on my face to calm down, then I'll get back to work.' _he thought as he entered the small room. His eyes widened when he spied a blonde sitting on the floor with his legs pulled into his chest.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

The blonde looked up and Drew thought that he looked very vulnerable in that moment.

"Um…yeah." Alois said shakily.

Drew didn't look quite convinced and he took a better look at the boy's face.

"I feel like I've seen you somewhere. Do you go to K University?" the bartender asked.

"Yeah, but I don't think I… wait did you drop a notebook or something?" Alois suddenly remembered when he squinted at Drew.

"Yes, I did! I thought it was you! Do you still have it?" he asked, his brown eyes shining in excitement.

"It's at my apartment. I can give it to you tomorrow, but I'm going to go home now." the blonde said, standing up and swaying unsteadily.

"Wait a minute, you don't look like you should be driving. My shift ends in twenty minutes; do you want me to drive you home?" the young man asked kindly.

Alois shrugged. Maybe it was the stuff he drank, or what happened with Ciel, but he was already getting a headache.

"Okay, well maybe you should stay in here where it's quieter or something." Drew suggested.

"Nah, I'll just sit at the bar until you're ready to leave." Alois muttered.

The bartender nodded and held the door open for him, following him back into the nightclub.

Drew took his place at the bar, watching Alois on the other side closely. The blonde's expression had gone from depressed to somewhat indifferent, and he wondered what had caused him to lose the happy-go-lucky personality he had seen before.

Alois stared off blankly, but he was fighting fiercely with himself in his mind. _'What should I do? I should call him to talk about it. No, he needs some time away from me, so he can think this over. But it's going to be impossible for me to talk to him tomorrow. Man, I really screwed things up.'_

The dark-haired student could see the pain in the other's eyes and felt a slight pang of sadness. When his shift finally ended, he gently tapped the Alois on the shoulder.

"Ready? Its gotten a little colder, so take this." he offered, holding out a black leather jacket.

"That's okay." the blonde shook his head.

"Alright, but you're going to freeze your little shorts off." Drew teased.

Alois stuck out his tongue but took the jacket anyways.

The bartender smiled. "Okay, let's go."

~Line Break~

Alois leaned against the window contently. The cool glass felt good against his face. In fact, he liked all of the car. The seats were comfy and soft, and it smelled subtly like expensive cologne.

Drew repeated the address Alois had given him in his head and turned left. He stopped at a red light and turned to the blonde, giving him a once-over.

"Alright, I've got to ask. What is up with that outfit?" he smirked.

"Huh? What's wrong with it?" Alois asked with a slight frown.

"There's nothing _wrong_ with it. It's just…I don't know…." he searched for the right words.

"I'll have you know that this is the hottest thing in Paris, darling." he answered in his best Lady Gaga impersonation.

They both laughed as the light turning green, bringing them closer to their destination. A few minutes later, Drew pulled in front of the blonde's apartment. The dark-haired student got out of the car and walked to the other side to help Alois.

"Thanks." he muttered.

"Do you need help getting into the apartment?" Drew asked, straightening his glasses.

"Umm… yeah, kinda." Alois answered, wanting to buy some time. He fished the keys out of his pocket and handed them over.

Drew led them both up the stairs, holding out an arm to steady the other. He opened the door to the apartment and Alois promptly entered and flopped onto the couch.

"Is there anything else you need before I leave?"

"Can you bring me an aspirin and water, Mr. Nice Guy?" the blonde asked with a smirk.

"Sure, blondie." he answered as he went off in search of the items. Drew returned a few minutes later with a Tylenol and a glass of water.

Alois nodded in thanks and took the pill, finishing the water as well.

The bartender took in the colorfully decorated room and noticed something when he set the keys on the coffee table.

"My notebook!" he exclaimed, grabbing the black spiral. "I was so pissed when I thought that I lost it."

"Oh, yeah. Can I keep it for just a while longer?" Alois asked.

"Why?" Drew asked confusedly.

"Because I was reading it, duh! I really like the poetry and stuff in it."

"Really?" The student was taken aback.

The blonde nodded sheepishly, lying back on the couch with his eyes closed.

An idea struck Drew. Seconds ticked by, and he took a final glance at Alois.

"Alright, we both have class tomorrow, so I'll see you later." he said.

Alois didn't really want him to leave quite yet, but didn't show it.

"Okay. Good night. And thanks for earlier." he added.

Drew smiled and left the apartment, closing the door softly behind him.

'_Damn. I forgot to get his name again.' _he thought crossly. He picked up the notebook, deciding to read something before he went to bed. He had to do something to push these guilty thoughts of Ciel from his mind. When he opened it, a small card fell out. Alois picked it up and saw that it was a business card from the club. On the back, _Andrew _was written neatly and a number was underneath it. The blonde smiled and held the card tightly in his hand as he opened the notebook up to a random page to read.

~Line Break~

Ciel pulled into the parking lot of a random diner and rested his head against the steering wheel. His hands clenched as he tried to clear the many things running through his mind. Why? What was going on? Nothing made sense to him. Alois was acting weird, and Sebastian was… Sebastian was…

He exhaled deeply and turned off the car, taking his keys and getting out. His mind was buzzing, so he didn't pay much attention as he entered the diner and sat at a booth.

"What can I get you, sir?" a waitress asked calmly.

"Just a cup of coffee."

"One cup of Joe coming right up." she said.

The waitress returned minutes later with a mug of steaming coffee and sat it in front of him. Ciel stared into the dark drink, lost in his own thoughts once again_. 'I just have to get over this. Shit happens. There's nothing I can do about that. I'll talk to Sebastian when I get home. It was probably that damn Mathias's fault. And I'll tell him about what happened with Alois. He was just being an asshole, as usual. Plus, I'm pretty sure he was drunk.' _he concluded. He took a sip of the liquid and recoiled.

"Ach. Black coffee is disgusting." he muttered at the bitter taste. He grabbed a handful of the sugar packets from the holder and emptied them into the drink. Only when it tasted mildly sweet, was he satisfied. He finished the mug, left a five dollar bill on the table, and left the diner.

The midnight sky was an impenetrable indigo, and Ciel had to turn up his headlights against the darkness. To his confusion, the streetlights on this road were unlit, leaving the drivers to depend on their own eyes and lights. Ciel slowed down slightly, just to be safe. He exhaled in relief when the streetlights overhead started to flicker to life. Returning his gaze back to the winding road, the student recoiled in shock as pain coursed through his body, originating from his contracted eye. The sudden movement caused him to swerve, right into the path of oncoming traffic. He stopped near a bend in the road, almost invisible to turning drivers. The quickly approaching headlights blinded him, and the other drivers honked loudly. It was all in vain, for his mind was clouded by pain. The cars advanced, trying desperately to stop in time. Ciel squinted to see, and saw the lights coming closer and closer, but he couldn't do anything. His mind was crippled by pain and fear. His own heart beat pounded in his ears and his breathing became labored. He was paralyzed.

Ciel shut his eyes tightly, waiting for the sickening crunch of metal against metal. To his surprise, it did not come. He tried to open his eyes, but a fresh wave of pain sent him reeling. Amongst the sound of cars whizzing by, he heard a strangely familiar voice.

"Now now, little Ciel. We can't have you dying, now can we? At least, not yet." the voice said with an evil snicker.

Ciel snapped back to consciousness, searching for the speaker. He looked through the windshield and realized that he was no longer on the road. His car now rested on the grassy side, out of danger. He tried desperately to figure out what had happened, but came up blank.

"Hey. Are you alright there, buddy?" a concerned driver called from a car on the road. "Do you need an ambulance or something?"

Ciel shook his head. "No, thank you. I'm fine." he lied.

The driver nodded and continued down the road, shooting the student a worried glance.

Ciel sighed and ran a hand through his cerulean locks, turning off the car and pulling out his cell phone. He dialed a memorized number and a voice answered tensely on the first ring.

"Hello?"

"Sebastian, I need your help. I don't know what happened, I was just driving and-"

"I'll be right there. Don't move." the man said.

The line clicked and Ciel hung up. Before he could even put the phone back in his pocket, a pair of porcelain knuckles rapped against his window. The student opened the door and Sebastian immediately took his hand, pulling him out of the car gently.

"What happened? Are you alright? Do you need to go to the hospital?" he asked worriedly.

"Sebastian, I'm fine." the young man muttered.

The demon cupped his chin, examining for any signs of a concussion. He looked into Ciel's eyes and deemed him okay, embracing him.

Ciel breathed in the man's soothing scent, leaning on his shoulder. "Can we go home?" he muttered.

"Of course." Sebastian said smoothly.

The pair parted, Ciel getting into the passenger seat and Sebastian getting behind the wheel.

Sebastian maneuvered onto the road, skillfully avoiding the other cars. As they drove along, the ex-butler snuck concerned glances over at Ciel.

The person in question leaned against the window, his brow furrowed in deep thought. The determined and critical look in his eyes showed that he was buried in his own thinking.

Sebastian knew it was best to just let the student figure out whatever was weighing so heavily on his mind, and Ciel would tell him soon.

As the teacher and student parked in the driveway and entered the house, the silence remained. Ciel was still thinking to himself, and Sebastian was trying to perceive if the other was still angry with him. He could hold a grudge forever. The demon even suspected that the boy still held a grudge from when he accidentally served him mediocre food that eternity ago.

Ciel's eyes were still a little glazed over as he battled internally with himself, sitting down on the couch.

"Sebastian." he called.

Immediately, the man appeared by his side.

"Yes?" he answered, reminded of his butlering days.

"Sit down." he said flatly.

Sebastian obliged, sitting beside him on the couch and searching for a bit of emotion on the boy.

Ciel looked up at the man and saw his apprehensive expression, his face softening instantly. He could easily see all of the concern and worry. He took a deep breath.

"I suppose we should start from the beginning. With what happened earlier." he started.

"Ciel, I apologize for-"

"Calm down, Sebastian. I'm not angry anymore. It wasn't your fault." he stated.

Sebastian visibly relaxed, and a relieved smile graced his lips.

"I hope you'll share the same viewpoint for me." Ciel added.

The man frowned in confusion, looking at Ciel expectantly.

"When I left, I went over to Alois's house."

Sebastian's frown changed from confusion to annoyance. He wasn't a big fan of the blonde.

Ciel paused, almost scared to continue. "We went to a club, and while we were there, he kissed me."

Sebastian shot out of his seat, his crimson eyes livid.

"What?" he asked in a monotone voice, barely over a whisper.

Ciel tensed. An angry Sebastian was one thing, but when the man spoke calmly and quietly like that, he was _pissed_.

"Calm down. He was drunk and he didn't know was doing. He already apologized. Besides, the same thing happened to you. I think we should just put this whole thing behind us. Neither of us were to blame, so there's no reason to freak out over it." he reasoned.

Sebastian looked down at Ciel's determined expression and sighed, knowing he was right. He nodded at sat down again. The demon didn't like the idea of Alois touching his Ciel, but relaxed.

"What happened with the car?" he asked softly.

A look of worry passed over Ciel's calm features, which Sebastian noticed.

"I'm not even sure. It's like a blur in my mind." he answered.

"You weren't drinking, were you?" Sebastian asked cautiously.

"Of course not. It was just… I don't know. I remember I was driving on the road. It was dark." he recalled, staring into the man's red eyes intensely. "Then, as I was coming up to the bend, my eye; It started hurting again. It felt like someone plunged white hot steel through it."

Sebastian immediately moved forward, his tone now careful and worried. He gently touched Ciel's cheek, titling his head in inspection. This was not a good sign.

"Does it still hurt?" he asked.

Ciel shook his head.

"The pain subsided, but I had already lost control of the wheel. I sped into oncoming traffic. I couldn't move. All I saw were cars coming at me." he said, his voice nearly cracking as he recalled the terrifying memory.

Sebastian's eyes widened in shock.

"How did you get to the side of the road?" he asked.

"That's what I've been trying to figure out all night. I can't remember anything. One second, I was about to get hit, then I was on the side, out of danger. I don't even-Wait. When I was about to pass out, I heard something. It was like a voice. Someone was talking to me, and it sounded familiar." he recollected suddenly.

"You were probably hallucinating." the man said.

"No. I wasn't. It was real, and I'm positive. But then again, I don't even know. Everything is so friggin' messed up; I'm not sure." he said, his confusion turning into frustration. "Nothing is making sense anymore. All this strange stuff is happening, and I-"

Sebastian interrupted his rant by pulling him into a warm embrace. He knew that this sudden burst of anger was just a feeble attempt to mask his true feelings. Confusion, worry, and most of all, fear. Ciel was scared. Scared of the fact that something was wrong. Things were going wrong and he couldn't do anything to stop it.

Ciel tried to pull away, but the man only held him tighter. He wouldn't admit it, but this was what he needed. Someone to comfort him; someone to assure him that everything would turn out good in the end. He choked back the frustrated tears, willing himself not to cry. He was tempted to let a tear fall when he felt Sebastian rubbing smooth circles in his back consolingly. He almost seemed to be saying: 'It's okay to cry, Ciel. It helps to cry sometimes.'

"Don't worry, my love. Whatever happens, I'll be here to help you through it. I love you." Sebastian murmured in his ear.

That was it. All of what had happened, paired with the man's sweet words, had pushed Ciel over the edge. Silent tears streamed down his cheeks, and Sebastian's was surprised when he heard a sniffle.

The demon released him from his grasp, gently wiping away the tears. He knew that the boy must really be going through something serious if he was crying.

Ciel frowned at the droplets. "Damn you, Sebastian. You made me cry." he accused as he dried his face.

"How?" he asked genuinely.

"Saying you love me and all that stuff…it made me cry, dammit." he muttered, flushing slightly.

Sebastian chuckled and placed a light kiss on Ciel's lips. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize, jeez." Ciel scolded, stifling a yawn.

Sebastian gave him a knowing look and rose from the couch, outstretching a hand to Ciel.

"You've had a rather long day. Let's get to bed." he suggested.

Ciel nodded and took his hand. The teacher was right, he was extremely tired.

Twenty minutes later, Ciel turned off the lamp and slid into bed beside his lover.

"Good night, Ciel." Sebastian said, giving him a lingering kiss on the forehead.

"Sebastian?"

"Yes?"

"Remember that song you used to sing all of the time?"

"Lacrimosa?"

"Yeah, that one. Sing it for me."

Sebastian paused for a second. Earlier, and just now, he had seen something that not many people ever got to see: Ciel's vulnerability.

"You want me to sing for you again? Are you sure?" he asked teasingly.

"Just shut up and do it." Ciel mumbled, moving away a little in annoyance.

Sebastian smirked and pulled the smaller man back into his chest, beginning his beautiful song.

Ciel exhaled as he felt smooth vibrations against the man's chest and heard the melodic singing. He was reminded of those days so long ago. Everything seemed much simpler then. The blue-haired student gently lulled to sleep, snuggled in Sebastian's protective arm. Now the question is: Will those arms will continue to protect him, as promised countless times?

_**How was that? Did everything make sense? Tell me if it didn't…. And LoL, if you see any random names anywhere in there, it's because I changed Andrew's name a million times. It went from Luke, to Christopher, to James and finally to Andrew. So tell me if you find any slip ups. Thank you to all readers and reviewers. You are my motivation! : ) **_

_**P.S~ It's about to get real. Soon.**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**After much wait, the next chapter is up! Sorry for my constant tardiness! I suck at time-management, lol.**_

_Ciel squinted desperately in the desolate darkness, trying to clear his muddled thoughts. He attempted to sit up, but a sharp wave of pain stung what seemed like his entire body, sending him reeling onto a cold and unfamiliar floor. _

"_Oh, you came to. Tell me, how are you feeling, Ciel?" a cold voice drawled sarcastically. _

_The young man struggled to focus on the somewhat familiar voice, but his head felt like lead. _

"_Not going to answer me?" _

_Ciel could barely form coherent thoughts, let alone audible sentences. He didn't know where he was, or remember how he got there, but he knew one thing for sure._

_He was in danger._

'I…got to get out..of here..' _he thought sluggishly. He tried to move again and more pain overtook him. He winced, feeling himself begin to black out from the agony._

"_No no no. We can't have that." the voice spat._

_Ciel felt himself being lifted by his collar and slammed haphazardly into what felt like a chair. He fought to concentrate on what was going on, and his eyes went wide when he felt a stinging slap resonate across his face._

"_I see that got you're attention." the voice uttered, chuckling evilly._

_As the student's mind cleared, his first thought was to escape this somehow. The second thought was: Where the hell was Sebastian?_

Ciel shot up in bed, his breathing rapid and irregular. Sapphire eyes scanning the room wildly, the young man leaned back on the pillows when he realized he was safely at home. He touched his cheek hesitantly, sure that he would still be able to feel the slap. To his relief, he felt fine, but the nightmarish dream was still imprinted in his mind. That dream…it felt different from than any one he'd ever had before. It felt too vivid, like he was actually _living_ the events. The part that terrified him the most was the fact that voice that sounded all to familiar to him. Where had he heard it?

As he racked his brain for answers, Ciel looked over to the vacant side of the bed. He got out of bed and left the room, knowing that Sebastian hadn't left for work yet.

The demon in question was currently in the living room, organizing his papers into his briefcase. He looked up when he saw Ciel and gave him a smile. "Good morning." he said, hugging the male and kissing him on the forehead.

Ciel smiled slightly. The nightmare still had him a little shaken.

Sebastian noticed this and became concerned. "Are you alright, Ciel? You seem a little pale." he noted. The teacher cradled his cheek softly, looking into his eyes for any sign of distress.

"I'm okay." Ciel forced a smile. "Are you working late tonight?" he asked, eager to change the subject. He didn't really want to talk about the nightmare. He was afraid that the dream had some kind of meaning, and he wasn't ready to delve into that quite yet.

Sebastian hesitated before answering. He was curious as to what was bothering Ciel, but he decided to discuss it later.

"No, I'll be coming home at a reasonable hour. Do you have any lectures today?"

"Well, I think I-"

Ciel was cut short by the phone ringing and he went to answer it.

"Hello?"

"May I speak to Ciel Phantomhive?" the voice asked.

While Ciel conversed on the phone, Sebastian pulled a small velvet box from his briefcase. He opened it and glanced at the pristine engagement ring, the shining silver band accented by the round blue gem. He closed the small box and tucked it into his jacket, sure that today would be the day. Nothing would distract him from his goal.

Ciel ran into the room, a huge smile on his face.

"You're now looking at the newest writer for Funtom Publishing!" he exclaimed.

Sebastian swept the younger man into his arms. "You got the job? That's amazing, Ciel. I'm so proud of you." he said honestly.

"Thanks, Sebastian."

~Line Break~

Alois groaned and held his head uneasily. He hated hangovers. His head was throbbing, his bedroom was a mess, and he swore he would flip out if he found a tiger in his bathroom. He stumbled out of his room and down the hall until he reached the kitchen. Something caught his eye, and Alois turned slowly to see a blonde stranger sitting on his lilac couch. He blinked twice. Then blinked again. No, he wasn't hallucinating. There was indeed a stranger sitting on his couch.

"Who the hell are you!" he demanded, grabbing a throw pillow from the couch for a weapon.

"Someone who will make all of your desires a reality." the man said smoothly.

"Who are you, my fucking fairy god mother?"

The older blonde sighed. This was going to be harder than he'd thought.

"My name is Mathias, and I know of the predicament you're in. Regarding Ciel Phantomhive."

"How do you know Ciel?" Alois asked, lowering the pillow.

"I know about a lot of things, including your unrequited love for him."

Alois turned a bit red. "What are you talking about? You don't even know me!" he accused.

"Now now, there's no need to get defensive. I'm only here for your benefit." Mathias consoled, tucking his blonde hair behind his ear. "You want something, and I know how to get it. You want to have Ciel for yourself, and he's right in your reach. All you have to do is cooperate."

Alois narrowed his eyes at the man. "What's in it for you?" he asked, immediately distrusting of the stranger.

Mathias chuckled lightly as he rose from the couch. "That's none of your concern. The only thing you need to know is that Ciel will be yours. All you have to do is bring him to me."

He stood before the younger male, holding out his hand.

"Trust me." he said, his violet eyes flashing fiercely.

Alois hesitated slightly. Did he really want to do this? Should he trust a stranger who waltzed into his home, making promises? There was something about Mathias that was shady, like he shouldn't be trusted, but the thought of having Ciel in his arms, all to himself, was far too great for Alois to turn down.

Alois finally shook the man's hand.

"Deal."

~Line Break~

Ciel sighed as he grabbed his keys and slipped his cell phone into his pocket. He was trying to push the nightmare to the back of his mind. He'd already had a good morning and was determined to keep the good day going. The blue-eyed student only had one lecture today, and then he would be free to do as he pleased. Well, not exactly. Sebastian had asked him to be home by seven for something very important. In fact, he was currently wondering just what that was. The demon was wearing one of his signature smirks when he'd said it, which only made Ciel more curious as to what he was going to tell him.

A car horn beeped obnoxiously in the driveway and the male peeked out the window to see Alois hanging out of the window with his tongue out.

"Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise." Ciel muttered as he grabbed his bag. He'd already decided to forgive Alois for the kiss last night. The guy was drunk, and he was just being an asshole as usual, right? Nothing more, nothing less.

Alois grinned as Ciel came out of the house and got into the passenger seat. He didn't look angry, so maybe the blonde had gotten away with his actions? But then again, Ciel was a master when it came to poker faces, so he could just be waiting for a good time to explode.

"Umm…good morning, Ciel." the blonde said nervously.

"Good morning, Tranny." the boy said good-naturedly, punching Alois in the arm. Really hard.

"OW! What the hell was that for, Ciel?" the blonde demanded, rubbing the hurting limb.

"For acting like a dumbshit last night. Now drive us to school before we're late." Ciel commanded, leaning back in the seat with a smug grin.

"Bitch." Alois muttered with a small smile, knowing that he'd gotten off easy compared to how angry the other student could get.

"What the hell is that on your neck? Did you get a tattoo?" Ciel asked, gesturing to the shape.

Alois pulled down his collar to reveal more of the design, a large spiral with a dark star in the center. "Yeah, I got it at this random parlor last night." he lied. One of the terms of Mathias's deal was that he couldn't tell Ciel about their contract.

Ciel smiled. "It looks good."

"Thanks."

"So how'd you get home? Catch a ride with Pippi?" Ciel teased, thinking back to that huge bouncer.

"No. That bartender, Andrew, gave me a ride home." Alois informed with a tiny smile at the mention of him.

"Oh really? And is that _all_ he gave you?" the blue-haired boy smirked.

"Oh, fuck you." he scoffed.

Ciel laughed at his reply, but winced as he a felt a sharp stab of pain in his eye.

Alois quickly pulled to the side of the street, reaching across the car.

"Ciel, are you okay?"

The student slapped his hand away. "I'm fine. I'll just tell Sebastian about it later."

Alois felt a pang of jealousy at the man's name, but tried to hide it. "Fine." he mumbled as he continued their journey to the university. He couldn't help being envious of their relationship. Sebastian was the one Ciel talked to when he was worried, not him. Sebastian was the one Ciel ran to when he was in need, not him. But hopefully after today, that would change.

~Line Break~

Yawning lightly, Alois gathered his things as he left the room. Throughout the entire class, his mind had wandered to what he was planning to do. It wasn't wrong, was it?

His thoughts were interrupted by someone calling his name, and he turned to see a familiar face.

"Hey Andrew." he smiled.

The long-haired student grinned. "Hey Alois. I don't have work today, so I was wondering if you wanted to hang out with me? You know, go see a movie or something."

Alois hesitated. He could very well take Andrew up on his offer and forget about Mathias's proposition. But he couldn't. If there was even the slightest chance that he could have Ciel by his side, he would take it.

"I'm sorry, Andrew. I have plans today. Maybe another time?" he added.

The bartender looked a bit disheartened but smiled at the blonde's offer.

"Sure. Just give me a call." Andrew said, walking away with a smile.

Alois glanced at him as he left, wondering if it could ever happen. He shook his head to rid himself of the distracting thoughts as he hurried to meet Ciel at his car like they arranged.

"What took you so long, Tranny?"

"Stopped to fix my hair. You can't rush perfection, Ciel."

The blue-haired boy rolled his eyes as he slid into the passenger seat.

"Now where are we going?" he asked.

"Well, we kind of have to take a stop somewhere." Alois answered.

"I don't know if I can. Sebastian asked me to meet him at home for something."

Alois's smile faltered for a second before he replied. "Come on, Ciel. Please? It'll only take a second, I promise. Pleeeeease?" he whined.

"Alright, alright. Just shut up and drive."

The blonde grinned and started the car, sure that Ciel would be his by the end of the day.

Twenty minutes later, the pair pulled up in front of a large house, planted in a high-class neighborhood and surrounded by other expensive-looking houses. Alois got out of the car and led Ciel through the large gates, stopping when they were on the polished stone steps.

"Where are we, Alois?" Ciel asked.

The blonde paused, not sure how to answer. So he was really doing this? He was sending his best friend into the clutches of a mysterious, and possibly dangerous, stranger?

"You'll see." he answered, ringing the doorbell.

Instantly, the large, glazed wooden door swung open and the students stepped into a grand hall. Ciel turned to see who had opened the door and his expression went from awe to anger.

"You!" he yelled, pointing an accusing finger at Mathias.

The demon merely smirked at him.

Ciel only had time to send a confused look at Alois before everything went dark.

~Line Break~

Claude nervously adjusted his sunglasses, slouching in the driver's seat so he wouldn't be seen. He was starting to get a bit anxious. Ciel and Alois had gone into that large house fifteen minutes ago and still hadn't reemerged. The young man sighed. He'd been following Alois for quite a while, waiting for his chance to talk to the blonde. He was angry with himself for letting the blonde slip through his fingers in high school, but he was determined to fix his mistake.

~Line Break~

As his last class of the day filed into the room, Sebastian sighed. For the first time in a long while, he was actually nervous about something. In a matter of mere hours, he would be asking the million dollar question. Now, he wasn't doubting that Ciel would say yes, but the boy was known to surprise him. Just when Sebastian thought he had Ciel all figured out, the student would do something completely against it. How was he going to find the right words? If he made a fool of himself, Ciel would never let him live it down. He had to ask perfectly, but how?

The teacher stood at his desk, instantly silencing the classroom.

"Good afternoon, class. I hope you've all had a nice day. Now, today we will be writing love songs." he informed, writing the word "love" on the board in his perfect cursive. He chuckled to himself when he noticed how fitting today's assignment was.

A hand shot into the air as he turned back to the class.

"Yes, Miss Clarke?"

"Have you ever been in love, Mr. Michaelis?" a girl asked.

The man smirked before answering. "Yes."

Majority of the girls in the class suddenly perked up, looking at the teacher hopefully.

"For how long?" another girl dared to ask.

"I've been in love with him for a long time."

The girls gave groans and sat back in their chairs with defeated sighs, while a few guys in the classroom sat up a bit straighter, looking at their teacher with newfound affection.

"Aww, so you have a boyfriend?" one of the girls asked with a pout.

"Well, hopefully, by the end of the day, I'll have a _fiancé_." he grinned.

The class cheered and gave him words of encouragement.

"Alright, settle down. We have to get back to the lesson."

The students gave a collective sigh but quieted.

"Now, what makes a good love song?" the teacher inquired.

"A catchy chorus!"

"Big Time Rush!"

"A guitar solo!"

"Booze!"

Sebastian shot a glare at the last answer and pinched the bridge of his nose in shame.

"No, love songs are all about the lyrics! " he answered.

"Well, how do you know which lyrics to choose?" a boy asked with a confused frown.

Sebastian gave a small smile, no longer looking at the students in the classroom, but somewhere else. "When you find the right words…you'll know." he answered his own inner question.

~Line Break~

Mathias grinned smugly to himself as he sauntered to the back of the large house, humming happily to himself. He paid no attention the blonde laying in a crumpled heap on his left, nor to the incessant pounding on his front door. The only thing that mattered was that he would soon have Sebastian in his arms. He gave a triumphant smirk at the thought, entering a darkened room.

In the corner of the room, a young man sat, trying to sit up, but still falling over.

"Oh, you came to. Tell me, how are you feeling, Ciel?" he asked.

When the student didn't answer, he frowned.

"Not going to answer me?" Mathias snarled. Everything about the pretentious little boy made him angry. He noticed that Ciel was starting to pass out and he shook his head.

"No no no. We can't have that." he said, picking him up harshly by his collar and slamming him into a chair. Mathias slapped him across the face for good measure, chuckling darkly.

"I see that got your attention."

Ciel squinted up at his attacker. "What the hell do you want?" he choked, his speech interlaced with violent coughing.

The blonde smirked. "For you to disappear. You don't deserve anything that you have. You don't deserve _him_." he added, his smirk replaced by a scowl.

Ciel paused as he realized what the demon was talking about.

"What's the matter? Sounds like someone's a bit jealous…" he quipped, shooting him a smirk in spite of the pain in his head.

Mathias struck the boy in fury, sending him tumbling to the cold floor again.

"Insolent human." he spat.

Ciel groaned as he felt something warm and wet running down his cheek and tasted the metallic characteristic of blood in his mouth.

He wasn't sure how he'd gotten himself into this mess, or how he was going to get himself out, but one thing was for sure.

Ciel needed to find Sebastian.

_**Yup, a cliffy. You mad bro? I was so tempted to put that somewhere in there. So tempted. Anyways, drop me a review! :) **_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Do you guys still remember me? Yeah, I updated after 20 years of putting it off because of my writer's block. Well, to the probably two people who are still keeping an eye on this, here you go~! :D**_

_**WARNING: THERE IS A CHARACTER DEATH(S)! But who shall it be? **_

_**Sorry if this chapter looks a bit choppy, but I switch from different POVs a bit. Don't fret, they all connect at the end. **_

Claude's hands started to hurt from pounding on the large doors. He looked up to see if he could see anything through the windows, but all of the curtains were drawn. The young man was extremely worried now, seeing as he was getting no response from any of the house's inhabitants. As he continued to knock on the door, he couldn't help wondering if Alois and Ciel were alright. And how exactly had he gotten himself into this situation in the first place? Simple. He'd been absolutely miserable. Just a few weeks ago, he'd been going to a mediocre community college, living in a broken down apartment, with a dead-end job of selling TV dinners to senior citizens. This had given him a lot of time to think over his life and the things he could have done differently. Most of all, Claude had found himself regretting what he'd done to Alois. When he was younger, his parents were never really there for him, and he didn't have many friends. As a result, he was cold, emotionless, and often distanced himself from others. But even with all of that, Alois was the only one who actually cared about him. The blonde stuck to him like glue, even when others would have turned their backs on him. And what did Claude do in return? He completely betrayed him. The bespectacled man realized much too late that he actually loved Alois, and by then, it didn't matter anymore. But Claude was determined to get Alois back. He would do whatever it took. With a sigh, he went through the bushes to see if there was some other entrance around back.

* * *

><p>Alois weakly pushed the handkerchief away from his face, his eyelids almost to heavy for him to see anything. His head was still swimming from the chloroform, and the cool marble floor felt uncomfortable. The blonde quickly closed his eyes and went limp when he heard footsteps, only daring to crack open one eye and glance at his attacker. He couldn't believe he'd been stupid and naïve enough to believe Mathias. There was no way someone could offer that kind of deal and be a trustworthy person. Now Ciel was in danger, and it was all Alois's fault. <em>'Some kind of friend I am. How the hell am I supposed to save him?' <em>he thought before drifting back into unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>Sebastian exhaled as he braced himself, opening the front door. He was surprised by the silence in the house as he walked in and sat down his briefcase. Where was Ciel? He agreed to be here. "Ciel? Are you here?" the demon called as he walked around the large house. With a sigh, he noted that his blue-haired lover wasn't here. Pausing in place, Sebastian tried to concentrate on finding Ciel's aura. His crimson eyes widened as he realized that something was wrong. Wherever he was, Ciel was in danger. He grabbed his jacket and dashed from the house, a small bit of fear in demonic heart.<p>

* * *

><p>Mathias looked down at the shaking boy in pure disgust, scoffing at him. He couldn't believe that Sebastian could degrade himself by being with this sorry excuse for a human being. The blonde demon loathed every single thing about Ciel. His arrogant manner, his stupid blue locks. Who in the world had <em>blue <em>hair? Mathias suspected that it was dyed. Frowning at himself for pondering Ciel's hair, the blonde turned on his heels and left the small, damp room. Everything was falling right into place. Soon, that little brat would be dead, and Sebastian would be all his.

The demon smirked when he came to the figure sprawled on the polished marble floor. He kneeled down next to Alois and pushed his blonde locks out of his face. "Still not dead? Maybe we should fix that." he snickered.

Alois winced when he felt cold hands trace over his skin. The velvety voice that had successfully tricked him before now spoke to him harshly. He opened his eyes slowly and looked up at the demon with hate in his eyes. "Where's Ciel? What have you done to him?" he choked out.

Mathias laughed lightly in the blonde's face. "Why do you care? You're the one who sentenced him to this in the first place." he leered. He couldn't believe this human. It was so pitiful. How could stab his so-called friend in the back so blatantly, then have the audacity to try to save him?

Alois mustered the strength to scowl. "I don't care what you do with me… Just don't hurt him. Don't…don't kill him…" he muttered weakly. After all that he'd done to Ciel, he didn't care about himself anymore.

The demon simply shook his head at his begging, his violet eyes looking over Alois in distaste and exasperation. "Fine. I'll grant your final request." Mathias relented, standing. "But I'll give him a fate worse than death!" he cackled.

* * *

><p>Sebastian landed agilely on the roof. Ciel was definitely inside of this house, as well as two other beings that were familiar. He paid no attention to the others, only focusing on Ciel. He jumped lightly down to the ground below. Of course, it would be obvious to go through the front door, so he silently broke down the back door, throwing the large piece of wood onto the grass behind him. A cool breeze blew into the house as he stepped in. The demon's crimson eyes scanned carefully as he walked through a darkened hallway. He considered calling out his lover's name, but didn't want to risk being overheard by someone else. As he neared a closed door, he heard the distinct sound of Ciel's strangled cry. "Ciel!" he yelled, throwing open the door. His eyes widened when they landed on the blue-haired figure curled up on the floor in a bloody heap, a chair turned haphazardly on its side a few feet away. Sebastian immediately rushed his side, cradling Ciel in his arms. "Ciel, can you hear me? Ciel? Ciel!" he called desperately.<p>

The student's head was spinning uncontrollably, and he could barely open his eyes. His thoughts muddled together, but a clear voice cut through the mess. Ciel groggily opened his eyes, looking up at the man with glazed eyes. "S-Sebastian?" he struggled to say.

Sebastian sighed in relief when Ciel opened his eyes and spoke, glad that he was alright. He shrugged off his jacket, ripping off one of the sleeves and wrapping it around the boy's head to stop the bleeding. He held the fabric over the wound as he examined him for other injuries. Other than a few purplish bruises marring his pale skin and a busted lip, he seemed to be okay.

Ciel remained quiet as the man patched him up. Speaking made his head throb. He looked up to see Sebastian glancing over him with many emotions evident on his face. Fear for him being even more hurt, relief of not finding more injuries, happiness at having him safely in his arms, and anger at whoever was responsible.

Since Ciel hadn't said anything else, the demon knew it was because he couldn't. Hatred towards the perpetrator boiled in Sebastian's blood as he pulled the boy into his arms and stood, carrying him carefully. He was going to make them pay for what they'd done. "Don't fall asleep, Ciel. With an injury like this, you could fall into a coma." he warned as he walked out of the room, trying to keep his tone light. His mind was racing with thoughts. Who would do such a thing to Ciel? What did they want? Were they planning to ask for ransom? Were these bastards planning to sell him on the black market or something? Well, Sebastian _assumed_ that there was more than one of them. There was no way that one person would be able to capture Ciel, and he definitely wouldn't have gone without putting up a fight.

Ciel clung to Sebastian as he was carried through the house. He desperately wanted to tell his lover what was going on, to warn him, but he couldn't muster enough strength to speak. The young man looked up at Sebastian in slight confusion when he was taken into a bedroom and laid down on a soft bed.

"Stay here and relax, Ciel. I'll be right back, then we'll get out of this place." Sebastian assured, placing what remained of his jacket over him as a makeshift blanket. He gave him a loving kiss, then pulled away and left the room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

><p>Claude's golden eyes widened behind his glasses when he came to the back door, or rather, lack thereof. The door was currently ripped from its hinges, laying across the grass a few feet away. With a shrug, he went into the house. He had to focus on finding Alois. As he quickly searched the house, soft carpet suddenly gave way to cold marble, and he came into the front hallway.<p>

"Alois!" he called out, seeing the blonde sprawled on the floor. The boy's body was limp and he wouldn't respond, no matter how much Claude called his name and shook him.

Claude was about to reach for his phone to call for help, but froze when he saw a shadow looming over him.

"I see these filthy humans just keep coming." a voice spat.

He turned to see a tall man with blonde hair and piercing violet eyes. "And who are you exactly?" Claude asked with a frown.

Mathias laughed lightly. "Don't you think I should be the one asking that?"

"Never mind that! What have you done to Alois?" Claude yelled sharply.

The demon sighed, losing his patience. "Maybe I'll just have your soul as well."

Claude looked up at him confusedly and stood. "I'm calling the police." he said icily, quickly reaching for his cell phone.

"Now now. There'll be none of that." Mathias frowned. He quickly advanced, grabbing the other man by the wrist and wrenching it tightly behind his back.

Claude swore as he was easily overpowered, the phone slipping out of his hand and sliding across the floor. He shot a deep scowl up at his attacker.

Mathias smirked, easily gaining control of the situation again. His free hand laced around the man's neck tightly and squeezed. "I've always found it interesting that humans turn colors when they suffocate. Let's see what pigment _you'll_ turn."

* * *

><p>Sebastian stalked through the rather large house. He was considering destroying every thing in his path, just like he'd done to those trees, but he didn't want to accidentally hurt Ciel while tearing the house down. His pace quickened when he heard footsteps and a distinct laugh. It seemed so familiar to him, yet it was filled with such ferocity and malice that it couldn't have been someone he knew personally.<p>

With the effects of the chloroform finally wearing off a bit, Alois feebly pushed himself into a sitting position. The sound of malevolent laughter caught his attention, he looked up in time to see Mathias sauntering up a staircase. _'I need to find Ciel and get the hell out of here.'_ he thought. His slim body trembled as he managed to stand, leaning on the wall for more support. As his sky blue eyes skimmed over his surroundings warily, he took notice of a person laying on the cold floor a few feet away from him. His eyebrows knit in confusion as he took in the familiar spiked hair, askew glasses, and pale skin. The thing that stuck out the most was the lack of motion. As much as he stared and focused, he didn't see the rise and fall of the man's chest, or so much as a single twitch. Terror running cold through him, Alois didn't dare utter a word as he moved to Claude's side. When he heard approaching footsteps, the blonde quickly shielded the other's body with his own, ready to defend him against whatever was coming their way. He was both surprised and relieved, expecting a pair of taunting violet eyes, but seeing concerned crimson ones instead.

Sebastian converged upon the pair swiftly, taking in the sight of Alois's disheveled clothes and watery eyes, and the limp body he was protecting. The slight smirk still plastered on the man's now bluish lips told him all he needed to know.

"Alois. Who? Where?" he asked quickly.

Alois merely pointed at the velvet-covered staircase. "Is Ciel okay?" he managed to say. At this point, he was desperate. He already was responsible for Claude's death. If Ciel was gone, all because of his own selfishness, he wouldn't be able to live with himself.

"Yes, he's fine." Sebastian called over his shoulder, already on his way up the steps.

A small sense of relief flooded into Alois's heart, but it didn't last long. Guilt, hate, and longing clutched at every part of him. As he turned back to look at Claude, countless questions invaded his mind. Why had Claude come here in the first place? Was he still after Ciel? The blonde didn't think that was the case. Did Claude come for _him_? Another stab of guilt stuck him when he realized that the man's death was completely his fault. This was _all_ his fault. Never had he imagined that his actions would affect so many others. How could ever look Ciel in the eye again? The boy who was supposed to be his best friend. The boy who put up with all his shit. The boy who he trusted and loved above all else! Was this really love? A person who loves someone wouldn't put them in danger like this. It was then that Alois concluded that he didn't deserve Ciel. He didn't deserve anyone at all. The blonde allowed his tears to flow freely as he laid across Claude's chest and sobbed into his dark shirt. He could still smell his distinct scent a bit, and clung unto the soft material as if it were his lifeline.

* * *

><p>As Sebastian swiftly ascended the steps, he came onto another level of the house. A row of identical doors stared back at him, but one was slightly ajar and had a bit of movement behind it. The demon's rage reemerged full-force. He was prepared to destroy whoever had dared to hurt Ciel. The memory of the boy lying on a dirty floor, bruised and battered, made his fists clench until he drew blood. Trying to save his fury for the person in the room, he flung open the door and stepped inside. He saw a pair of balcony doors open wide and was sure that the person had tried to escape, but when he moved closer, he could see someone standing right by the stone railing. Sebastian focused on the figure and his eyes widened at the recognizable long blonde hair wafting in the cool breeze. No, it couldn't be. That didn't make any sense! Why would he-<p>

"Oh, Sebastian! I see you've finally arrived." Mathias said, turning to face the other demon with a large smile. His tone was light and inviting, as if he wasn't responsible for harm done to every other person in the house.

Sebastian merely glared at him, stunned into silence. However, that didn't last long. He instantaneously surged forward and grabbed Mathias by his collar, wrenching him forward. "It was you. I should kill you for hurting Ciel." he growled. He couldn't believe that his own friend would betray him in such a way.

"Calm down, Sebs. No need to be so rough with me. At least, not yet." the blonde smirked. "And I only gave him what he deserved. He didn't belong with you anyways." With that, Mathias pushed the other away forcefully, causing Sebastian to take a few steps back to catch his balance. Mathias was just as powerful as he was.

"What are you talking about? It isn't your place to decide on the matters of my personal life." Sebastian said, stepping forward menacingly.

"My place? I've known you for too many centuries to count. I believe I can have some sort of opinion, and I think you're making a mistake."

Sebastian frowned, his fist clenching in annoyance. He quickly moved forward to strike the treacherous demon.

Mathias evaded the blow by jumping off of the balcony, landing nimbly on his feet in the backyard. He chuckled at the door that was carelessly thrown on the ground and nearly crushing a cluster of flowers.

"You've lost your touch, Sebs. "Falling in love" has made you soft. Really, it's sad. And of all things, with a _human_. He has you wrapped around his little finger. How disgraceful. And you call yourself a demon." Mathias spat, dodging a stone bench that missed his face by a millimeter.

"None of that matters to me. Ciel is the only one I care about." Sebastian said plainly. He was really starting to lose his patience. He at least wanted to know _why_ Mathias hurt Ciel before he killed the insolent demon. But he kept talking about other things.

Mathias's jaw clenched at the other's statement, a flash of jealousy evident in his eyes. "Why is it always about him? That conceited, idiotic little brat? He's not worthy of you, Sebastian! How can he just waltz in and take what I worked so hard to attain? You were always meant to be mine, not some disgusting human's property!" he bellowed.

Sebastian immediately advanced, wrapping his slender fingers around the other's neck. "All of this. This mess you've made….is all because of your own bitter resentment?" he asked incredulously.

Mathias ignored his question, looking into his glowing eyes. "With him out of the picture, you'll be all mine. After all, didn't you used to have a contract with that boy? So you were only after his soul this entire time. Once I take that away, you'll have no ties to him." he smirked.

Before Sebastian could do anything, he saw the demon's eyes glow an iridescent lilac, and he immediately knew what had happened. He could no longer sense Ciel's aura. He was gone.

Mathias used the temporary distraction to wrench the other demon's hand from his neck and step back. "There. The Ciel Phantomhive you once knew is no more. Now you can stop this nonsense."

Looking up at Mathias with fury in his eyes, Sebastian had completely lost it. Now that Ciel was gone, he had nothing to lose. He didn't utter another word as he took a menacing step forward.

"Now now, Sebs. There's no need to overreact. I did this for _us_." the other demon said quickly, having a trace of fear in his eyes for the first time that day. He'd known Sebastian for countless years, but never had he seen him so angry. But the man would get over it, of course. After all, it was just a silly human. An insignificant life gone. That's it. Now there was nothing stopping them from being together. Right?

* * *

><p>Ciel's eyes lazily shifted to the open window. He hoped that Sebastian was alright. This Mathias guy was crazy. He wanted to do something to help, but even moving an inch seemed to set his bones on fire. He turned his gaze back to the ceiling, his eyes getting heavier and heavier by the second. The young man knew Sebastian told him not to sleep, but he couldn't help it. His cerulean eyes closed slowly. Everything else seemed to fade, and he was enveloped in cool darkness. But it wasn't a scary darkness that you would find in nightmares. It was almost a tranquil and soothing darkness, like floating along a calm river. In fact, that's exactly what it felt like. Figures started to take shape in the boy's mind, and he found himself sitting in a small boat. It was moving along gentle waters. He couldn't quite discern who it was that was rowing the boat, though. Although the figure was a bit fuzzy, it felt somehow familiar, so he relaxed. Not that he wanted to disrupt this state anyways. He settled back against the surprisingly soft surface of the boat and closed his eyes once more. Ciel's heart rate slowed until it reached a standstill, and the gentle rise and fall of his chest ceased completely.<p>

After what seemed like years, the boy's eyes fluttered open again. This time, every seemed different. Sharper. More clear. Ciel shifted slightly to discover that the pain in his body had dissipated, and he sat up slowly. A glance out the window told him that afternoon had long since faded into early evening. His first thought was to find Sebastian, and he quickly got off of the bed, clutching the demon's jacket tightly. He caught a glimpse of himself when he walked passed a mirror and froze in shock. With hesitant steps, he moved back until he was in front of the mirror, gawking at himself with wide eyes. All of the bruises he'd possessed had seemed to fade into his porcelain skin, leaving nothing but a flawless complexion. When he slowly pulled off the bandage Sebastian had made out of his sleeve, the heavy wound had completely disappeared, the dried blood the only evidence of its past existence. What caught his attention most were his eyes. They were their usual royal blue, but they seemed to be almost….glowing. Ciel pulled off his eyepatch and was surprised to realize that he could see perfectly well out of both of his eyes, yet the contract was still firmly in place on his right one. "No way…." he breathed, letting the other demon's jacket drop to the floor in astonishment. He heard the sound of something rolling onto the floor, and looked over to see a small velvet box a few feet away. Picking it up, Ciel got what was probably his millionth shock that day when he opened it and saw the beautiful ring that was nestled inside. "That idiot…" he mumbled, a small smile playing against his now perfectly shaped lips.

* * *

><p>In silence, the reality of the situation crashed onto him. Sebastian panted harshly, looking down at the mangled mess that lay at his feet. Not even seeing it could alleviate the anguish that seemed to be flowing through every inch of his body. He couldn't believe that Ciel, <em>his<em> Ciel, was gone. His sole purpose for existence, gone in an instant. Maybe he was foolish for falling in love in the first place. Love was a human thing, and he was a demon. Demons weren't meant to fall in love anyways, right? Even so, Sebastian couldn't help recalling all of times they'd shared and thinking that perhaps it was worth it. All of the memories he had of Ciel, both good and bad, were worth the consuming pain he felt right now.

"My my, is the great Sebastian Michaelis actually _crying_?" a mocking voice called.

Sebastian stiffened. Now his mind was playing tricks on him and making him hear Ciel's voice. Today just wasn't his day.

"Ignoring me? That's not very nice you know." the voice persisted.

The crimson-eyed demon sighed and turned around, expecting to be alone in the darkening backyard. Instead, he was met by a blue-haired young man standing in the doorway of the nearly wrecked house. Sebastian couldn't believe his eyes. What was going on? He was sure that Ciel was gone! This must be some sort of cruel joke. Was this his punishment for all of the things he'd done?

"Oh stop looking so pitiful, Sebastian. You look like shit, actually. I take it that you repaid Mathias." Ciel leered as he approached his lover. He wasn't lying when he said that Sebastian didn't look so good. He was bleeding in a few places, and his clothes were torn and disheveled. It seemed that Mathias had put up a good fight.

Sebastian cautiously reached out a hand and stroked the other's cheek. To his surprise, he didn't disappear in a wisp of smoke or fade into darkness or something of the sort. "Ciel…how did you…?" he trailed off confusedly.

Ciel grinned, his eyes glowing in response. He wasn't sure how this had happened, but he wasn't exactly opposed to it.

Sebastian nodded in realization, a small smile on his lips. How could he have been so foolish? That's why he couldn't sense Ciel's aura before; it had changed! The demon pulled Ciel into his arms tightly. He couldn't believe he had come so close to losing him. He didn't even want to think about what he would have done if the boy was really gone.

Ciel smiled at his lover's meaningful embrace. "You thought I was dead didn't you? It's going to take a lot more than a psychopathic demon to get rid of me." he chuckled.

"Only your first day of being a demon and you're already full of yourself. What a shame." Sebastian teased, shaking his head in mock disappointment as he pulled back.

"You know you like it." he smirked. The blue-haired demon pulled Sebastian down for a loving kiss.

Sebastian smiled into the gentle contact. The kiss wasn't eager or rushed, simply allowing their lips to mend together perfectly.

Ciel pulled away, looking up at the other demon with a sly smirk. "So…while I was upstairs, I found something interesting…" he started.

Sebastian gazed down at him with a confused expression, it changing to realization as the boy raised his left hand. His engagement ring was snugly placed on his finger.

"I never pegged you as the hopeless romantic type, Sebastian." the boy teased.

Sebastian chuckled lightly and shook his head. "You make me this way." he accused. It was true. Ciel had changed him in more ways than the other knew.

Ciel was about to retort with a snappy comment, but fell silent as the demon got down on one knee in front of him. Sebastian grabbed his hand and held it in his own, and a light blush spread across the boy's cheeks.

"W-what the hell are you doing?" he asked.

Sebastian ignored his question, looking up at him sincerely. "Ciel Phantomhive. In both your past life and the current one, you have been the most important thing to me. Even after being apart for so long, you managed to find your way back into my life. I never fathomed that I would grow to love someone as much as I love you."

Ciel froze in place and listened closely as the man spoke. He couldn't believe that this was really happening. His heart rate picked up when he heard the question that he never thought he would hear Sebastian say.

"Will you marry me, Ciel?"

The young demon hesitated at first, then his cool demeanor returned.

"What a stupid question, Sebastian."

Sebastian's hope deflated for a second. He should have known that it wouldn't be this easy.

"Of course I'll marry you." Ciel stated with a scoff like it was no big deal.

The crimson-eyed man looked up at him in slight surprise before a smile grew on his lips, and he quickly stood up, pulling Ciel in close and capturing his lips once more.

Ciel wrapped his arms around his fiancé tightly. Although he probably wouldn't say so, he felt safe and content in the man's arms. He wanted to stay in them forever, and that was just what he planned to do.

_**Lack of time and writers block makes for a VERY late chapter. But I updated, yay~ How did you guys feel about this? Anyways, I'll be happy if I get at least one review for this chapter, so go ahead….click that button! xD**_

_**Next chapter is already in progress~**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**What is up my lovely fanfictioners? Yup, it's me back with another update! At two o'clock in the morning~ This chapter is kinda like an epilogue, you know, tying up any loose ends. I never meant for this spin-off/sequel/whatchamacallit to be that long anyways. Aaaaaaaand, that's enough of my ramblings, on with the story~**_

The students all gave each other confused glances as they filed into the classroom, whispering among themselves. Something was definitely wrong. The usual music posters and pictures of famous composers no longer covered the walls. The large desk in front of the room was bare and spotless, even though it usually held stacks of sheet music and an array of small gifts from students. There wasn't even an assignment on the board! As soon as the bell rang, they all scrambled to their seats. They were surprised to see their music teacher enter the room with a large box and a smile.

"Good afternoon, class." Sebastian greeted, standing before the students.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Michaelis." the students replied in unison.

The man chuckled lightly to himself as he observed the confused and wondering expressions on their faces.

"I bet you're all wondering what's going on and why my classroom is cleaned out." he stated.

The teens didn't speak, waiting for him to continue.

"The answer is simple. Today is my last day being your teacher. I am resigning from my post at this high school." he revealed.

With collective groans and objections from his students, Sebastian held out a hand to silence him.

"I apologize if you all are disappointed, but the decision has already been made."

There was still the few grumblings of disagreement and someone raised their hand.

"Yes, Ms. Clarke?"

"Since this is our last class, can this be your goodbye party?" she asked with a grin. The other students chimed in, giving their ideas and approval.

"Can we listen to music?"

"Do you know how to dance, Mr. Michaelis?"

"I know where we can get a beer keg, man!"

After shooting a stern glare at the last suggestion, Sebastian gave a small smile and thought over it for a second before relenting. "I suppose so…"

The class cheered, some of them getting up from their seats to sit comfortably with their friends. A group of girls (and a few boys) eagerly moved up to the desks near Sebastian.

"Sooo….Mr. Michaelis. Remember a month ago when you told us you were proposing to someone? How did it go?" a girl gushed.

Sebastian hesitated, unsure if it was okay to share something so personal with them. Well, it _was _his last day, so he guessed it wouldn't hurt.

"When I asked him….he said yes…" the demon answered.

Half of the students squealed in excitement and congratulated them, the others grumpily muttering under the breath about the lucky guy who'd gotten their handsome teacher.

"What was it like? You got down on one knee, didn't you?"

Musing over the very unconventional situation they'd been in at the time, the garnet-eyed man smirked a bit before answering.

"Yes, I did. It wasn't the most traditional proposal, but it was romantic, I suppose."

For the rest of the class period, Sebastian temporarily let down the strict attitude that he usually presented and relaxed a bit, seeing as it was his last day. His students even coaxed him into singing a few songs. When the final bell rang, the teens gave groans before giving their heartfelt goodbyes to their teacher. Even though the man was stern when it came to rules and discipline, Sebastian was a great educator and they were sure to miss him.

The door closed as the last student filed out, bathing the room in calm silence. Sebastian looked around wistfully at the classroom where he had been teaching for the past ten years. So many memories were made in this room. He glanced over at the door and remembered when Ciel had first arrived, and he even recalled the exact spot where he had first started teaching Ciel to play the violin. The demon sighed, a nostalgic smile on his face as he gathered his things. He stopped by the door to turn off the lights and gave a final glance at his classroom, then turned on his heels, shutting the door firmly behind him for the last time.

~Line Break~

"They're going to be all the way in the back. I just know it."

Ciel frowned as he opened the door to the large storage closet. How in the hell did that demon expect him to find _anything_ in all of this mess? Granted, Sebastian had neatly organized all of the things in the closet, but there were still a lot of things there.

"Might as well get started…" he mumbled. The young demon tried to pull down a small stack of books, but he still wasn't quite used to his strength and ended up sending a large box crashing to the floor, its contents spilling all over the polished wood.

Cursing himself and the foul, over-packed closet, Ciel leaned down to recover the fallen objects. His fingertips brushed over some sort of glossy paper, and he was surprised to discover it was a picture. A reel of pictures, in fact. A small reminiscent smile tugged at his lips as he looked over the reel of pictures that he and Sebastian had taken all those years ago. He shook his head at the cute pink and red hearts that were floating around them, courtesy of Sebastian picking the design at the photo booth. The blue-haired demon noticed a something white in his peripheral vision and turned to see that his graduation gown had fallen out of the large box as well. The tasseled cap was laying on its side a few feet away, but he grabbed the silken white gown first. As he turned the smooth material over in his hands, he couldn't help thinking about their graduation ceremony. Grell and William had managed to be elected as Class President and Valedictorian, and they had both given rather…memorable speeches, in which Grell had all but professed his love to almost every good-looking man on campus, and William had not-so-subtly referred to a certain teacher as a "despicable waste of a space". Ciel's analyzing azure eyes noticed a light splotch on the back of it, and he was briefly reminded of the private graduation party he and Sebastian had enjoyed right before the ceremony in a janitor's closet at the school. It was ironic that three washings hadn't gotten rid of the cleaning solution stain. He smirked to himself as he folded up the gown and placed it neatly by the cap. Pulling the fallen box over to him so that he could refill it, he saw surprised by how heavy it was. He peered inside to see what was causing the extra weight.

With a content sigh, Ciel pulled out the old violin case that was in no way tarnished by the dust it had collected. The small clasps released with a click, and he took a moment to admire the polished wood that was resting in its velvet bed. It had been years since they had played the instrument, not having much time for it after Ciel's junior year. If he closed his eyes, he could practically hear the soft sounds of Lacrimosa pouring from its strings. And if he focused hard enough, he could almost make out the pitch of Sebastian's voice mingling harmoniously with the intricate music.

"Imagining, Ciel?"

The young demon nearly let the case snap closed in surprise of the velvet voice behind him, turning to see Sebastian leaning against the doorframe with a slight smirk. He was just getting a handle on this whole "being a demon" thing, but he still couldn't sense other demons as well yet. And it seemed as if a certain raven-haired one was taking advantage of that fact by sneaking up on him as much as possible.

"Yeah, imagining how the hell you expect me to find our suitcases in this stuff." he retorted snappily.

Sebastian held in a chuckle as he went to his fiancé's side. "Ciel. When I asked you to get our suitcases from the back of the closet, I was referring to the closet in our _bedroom_; not the hallway storage closet."

Ciel frowned slightly as he realized his mistake and climbed to his feet. "W-well, you should have been more specific!" he chided, crossing his arms stubbornly.

The crimson-eyed demon was more than used to such an attitude and gave a knowing smile. Leaning over, he placed a light kiss on Ciel's cheek and reveled in the pinkish blush that soon followed.

"I don't even know why I agreed to go on this vacation anyways. I bet it's cold in Paris right now! And I'm not even that good at French." he pointed out, even though both of them were quite fluent.

"Alors, je vais parler assez pour nous deux, mon petit démon…"*

"Imbécile." Ciel scoffed, a slight smile tugging at his lips from the new term of endearment Sebastian had been calling him. "And I don't even see how we have time for this trip, with you starting your private music tutoring and my job just starting up."

"Just leave it all to me. I told you I would handle it, didn't I?" Sebastian assured.

The younger demon simply rolled his eyes and went off to find the suitcases he was in search of. As he ventured to their bedroom, he shook his head at the pile of pristine white wedding invitations that were neatly stacked on the dining room table. Sebastian had been dead set on them having a wedding, and he had also been intent on them not hiring a wedding planner for the damn thing. And while Ciel wouldn't say so, the man was doing a pretty good job, probably much better than some guy they would have hired out of the blue.

A few minutes later, the cerulean-eyed young man had successfully unearthed their suitcases from the deep recesses of their shared closet. He hesitated in the doorway when his demonically trained ears picked up on the sounds of gentle violin pouring through the house. It was amazing how much his senses had improved. He could basically hear every single string being played in perfect harmony. A smile spread over Ciel's face as he recognized the song, and he thought back to that faithful day in the classroom. Things had definitely changed since then.

"Is this your way of trying to win my affections, Sebastian?" Ciel muttered, knowing that the demon would be able to hear him.

"That depends…is it working?" he answered in a tone that made it clear that he was smirking.

Ciel didn't reply, already on his way back downstairs.

~Line Break~

Pushing the withered rose to the bottom of his bag, Alois groaned as he made his way through the swarms of people. There were only two weeks left until summer break, and people were starting to get a bit restless. He was almost to the door of the large university when he heard someone calling his name. The blonde sighed heavily, wondering just who it could be. Ciel hadn't spoken to him in weeks, and Alois didn't blame it. He would be pretty pissed if someone almost got him killed, too. In fact, they hadn't even seen each other since Claude's funeral. It had definitely been a somber occasion. There were only about fifteen people in attendance, most of them being teachers or random classmates from the high school or college that he went to. Ciel, Sebastian, and Alois had attended to pay their respects, of course, but the two males pointedly stayed away from the blonde.

Thinking of Claude made Alois think of the rose that was buried in his bag. He was supposed to have thrown it over the casket as it was lowered into the ground, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He had ended up keeping it as a small memento of the man he had loved. His sky-blue eyes focused on the figure heading towards him, and the slightest of smiles tugged at his lips when he realized who it was.

"Hey there, Alois. I haven't heard from you in a while." Andrew said lightly with a nervous grin.

The blonde avoided his eyes sheepishly. "Yeah, I've had a lot of stuff on my plate lately."

Andrew nodded understandingly. "Well maybe I can take your mind off of things. Do you want to come and get some coffee with me?" he asked hopefully.

Sighing heavily, Alois shook his head wearily. "I'm sorry, I can't. I have so much to do, and I'm just getting over a bunch of shit that happened a month ago, and I really-"

Andrew's lips mended softly with the other's, effectively preventing any more excuses from slipping out. The kiss was chaste and short, and when the dark-haired pulled back, both of their faces were lightly flushed.

"Whatever you have going on, I'm here. I'll listen. Trust me, Alois." he said gently.

Alois hesitated, unsure of the outstretched hand in front of him. Should he take this chance? What if Andrew ended up getting hurt like the other unfortunate souls who had dared to get too close to him? He seemed like a nice guy, and Alois didn't want him to caught up in his mess. He wanted to turn him down, but the look in his warm eyes had him hooked.

"Alright." the blonde said softly, taking his hand.

Andrew smiled and held his slightly smaller hand a bit tighter before leading him out the door.

~Line Break~

"Ciel! The ship leaves in an hour, and we still have to try and beat traffic." the older demon reminded, a bit of impatience leaking into his tone.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" a voice yelled from the other room.

Sebastian chuckled at the double entendre as he carried their suitcases to the car and neatly packed them into the trunk. He turned to see his fiancé locking up their house and giving it a final once-over before they headed out.

"This is the way I see it: We're both demons, right? And I'm damn sure you can walk on water or something of the sort. So why can't you just carry me all the way to Paris? We could send our baggage ahead and we'd be there in a day, instead of having to go on this cruise." he reasoned as he buckled his seatbelt and the other demon pulled out of the driveway.

"Because that wouldn't be any fun. _For me_." Sebastian added when it seemed that Ciel was going to interject. "Besides, I'm looking forward to this quality time with you. Can you smile for me? Just a bit?" he pressed.

Ciel gave a large cheesy grin. "There. Happy now?" he retorted.

Sebastian poked his puffed out cheeks. "No. I want a real smile." he said, continuing his prodding.

"I advise you to stop that unless you want to lose that finger." the other male said slyly. Even so, a genuine smile had found it's way onto his porcelain face.

"I love you, too."

Ciel rolled his blue eyes and looked down at the cell phone in his lap, bracing himself for what he was about to do. He flipped it open and dialed an overly-familiar number.

Alois jumped when something vibrated against his leg, but he quickly realized it was just his phone. He had to wiggle around a bit to fish it out of the pocket of his skintight jeans, and when he glanced at the name on the screen, his face drained of all color.

From across the table, Andrew noticed the change in the other male. "Alois? Are you alright?" he asked, his voice laced in concern.

The blonde nodded numbly and answered the call.

"H-hello?"

"Hey there, Tranny."

"Ciel? Why are you….I thought you didn't want to talk to me…"

"I didn't at first. But then I realized that you're just an idiot and there's nothing I can do about that. I forgive you, so stop moping around like an emo kid."

Alois couldn't help but smile at his friend's brash but somewhat reassuring words. "Thanks, Ciel." he said honestly.

"Yeah yeah yeah, I know. You can repay for my kindness when I get back from vacation. And while I'm gone, see if you find that Drew guy. You know, that bartender from the club."

Alois blushed ever-so-slightly. "I already did. He's sitting right across from me right now."

A devious smirk worthy of Sebastian passed over Ciel's lips. "Oh really? Can you hand him the phone please?"

Alois was a bit confused, but he was used to his friend making demands and simply shrugged before handing the phone over to the bespectacled young man sitting across from him.

"Um…hello?" Andrew answered.

"Good afternoon, Drew. It's Ciel. So I hear that you're pursuing Alois. I have no problem with that, I'm happy for you. Just know that Tranny is rather delicate, even if he doesn't seem like it, so if you hurt him, I'll make it my personal duty to track you down and beat the shit out of you. Do we understand each other?" Ciel asked coolly. Although Andrew was much taller than him, he was sure that he could take him in a fight. Demonic strength really did come in handy sometimes.

Andrew's eyebrows raised at the calm but demanding tone of the other male, but he didn't miss a beat.

"Of course I understand. But I'm already aware of the fact that you are Alois's best friend, so he really cares about you. If you ever try to take advantage of that, or hurt him unreasonably, well…I think you know the rest." he said evenly.

Ciel was pleasantly surprised by Andrew's nerve and ability to stand up to him. At least he knew that this guy wasn't a pushover. He was going to have to have some balls if he wanted to date Alois.

"Well played. Very well, you have my blessing. Can you pass the phone back to Tranny, please?"

"No problem." Andrew replied, his tone cordial once again.

Alois was surprised by the interaction between them and wondered what the hell had just happened as he accepted the cellular device.

"Alright, I gotta get going Alois. It was nice talking to you, but Sebastian looks like he's about to start throwing things at the other drivers."

"Oh, okay. Bye." Alois responded, not feeling the least bit jealous of the crimson-eyed man anymore.

"And one more thing: Your wedding invitation will be arriving in the mail soon. Bring Andrew along and DON'T YOU DARE WEAR BOOTY SHORTS." he ordered, ending the call with a gusto.

With no doubt in his mind that Alois sitting somewhere with his eyes wide and jaw on the floor, the young demon sighed in content.

"This traffic is torture." Sebastian grumbled from the seat beside him.

"Well _my_ idea still stands." Ciel said cheekily.

Getting a glare from the other demon, he simply gave him a light kiss on the cheek, then leaned back to relax in his chair. It was going to be a long ride, but he was perfectly fine with that.

*Sebastian says: Then I'll speak enough for the both of us, my little demon. Unfortunately I had to look that up because I speak Spanish, not French yet. ;D

_**A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who has reviewed/subscribed/favorited/read this fic~~~~ When I started His Butler, Instructing I never predicted such popularity! I love and appreciate every single one of you! Once again, THANK YOU! GRACIAS! ARIGATO GOZIMASU! **_

_**Now leave me one of them review-thingies and tell me what you thought of the ending! What did you guys think of my OC, Andrew? Personally, I enjoyed writing about him and Alois~**_


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